The Midnight Sun
by Arlia'Devi
Summary: The lovely hime, Izayoi, is forced to choose a husband from the many suitors that visit. When she meets a strange inuyoukai in a moonlit meadow, her life changes direction forever. A love story about the human who conquered InuTaisho's heart.
1. Part 1: A Twilight Meeting

**Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi.

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha; all rights go to Rumiko Takahashi and associates. I make no money from this.

A/N: I've been trying to churn this out for months; months and months and months. I ended up reading a really horrible description of the so called 'love' between Izayoi and InuTaisho and knew I had to finish it. Hopefully it'll come out alright…

**Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

**PART I**

_5th of December, 1497._

_**My gentle mother...**_

He prayed for her peace in the other world: the woman who had raised him from a babe; and then left this world so abruptly, leaving her half-demon son an orphan from a young age.

His gentle mother; when she looked to the skies and prayed to his father, the moonlight sparkled in her ember eyes. Her raven hair was the glossiest, longest hair he'd ever known, so soft and perfectly in shape: he'd never known his mother to look any less than immaculate. And the scent that encompassed her; divine and musky, he fell asleep on her chest, intoxicated with her scent.

He had loved his mother dearly.

Such had been the woman who had taught him from a young age to be courteous; a lesson that when he dismissed, he felt guilty. Izayoi had taught told him to be chivalrous and patient with a woman; to respect her and love her. His mother had taught InuYasha about how to treat the woman he loved; based off the ways his father had treated his mother. Izayoi: human, and unrespected by his people, was, nevertheless, the apple of InuTaisho's eye.

* * *

><p><em>Two hundred years earlier…<em>

Izayoi was sixteen when she met the Great Dog general, Lord of all the Western lands InuTaisho leaning under the apple tree on the far edge of her father's garden, evidently either ignorant of her father's possession of said apple tree or not particularly caring. She watched him from the lightly guarded gate of the manor, peering from behind white brick at the man as the youkai read a long scroll sprawled over his crossed legs. A ribbon of the finest silken white hair cascaded over his shoulder from a high fixture with a black band. The man's handsome face was wracked with thought and confusion as he read the scroll. As Izayoi looked at him, a twang of recognision nibbled at her – had she met such a man before? If not, then how could she possibly think to have known him? There was no name registered with his face, but still a strange sense of recognition.

Again, it seemed that either the dog demon didn't notice Izayoi's spying, or he couldn't have cared less.

"Izayoi!" the melodious sound of her mother drifted through the spring breeze. "Hurry now – to the tea room!"

The young woman gathered her heavy ceremonial robes and made her way back to the manor. When arriving in the tea house, she gave a bow to her father, the Lord of the village and land around him. Beside her frail, aging father was a man of rugged looks, many battle scars showing him to be a fit warrior and the way he dressed commenting on his wealth. The man's eyes were hungry, Izayoi noted as she knelt by her mother, and his voice was gruff and demanding.

"My lovely Izayoi," smiled her father gently. "Please, this is Lord Onimaru, son of the Lord Diasenski of the east."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, my lord," muttered Izayoi in the most pleasant, polite tone the woman could muster.

"No please," bowed Onimaru deeply. "The pleasure is all mine to be acquainted with such a beautiful woman, Izayoi-hime."

"Flattery will get you no where," Izayoi suddenly quipped and Onimaru stumbled backward. Instantly the hime noticed something that flashed in the man's eyes. Izayoi removed herself from the man's presence and told her mother that Onimaru was not a suitable suitor.

"He is not?" her mother's eyes flashed with the same anger that Onimaru's had only previously. "He is _not_? And neither was Lord Jakeromaru, or Lord Dasuke, or Lord Gerousika, or any of the other suitors before hand. Izayoi, you will be wed, and your father and I will tire of finding suitors of which you may prefer." Her mother took Izayoi roughly by the forearm, an action that as a child was quickly followed by a swift hand to the rear. Izayoi was grown now; she was a woman – and a headstrong one at that. "Remember that this is a favour, Izayoi-chan, a _favour_. Find a suitable husband in what we present."

Izayoi's mother sighed and released her daughter, who scuttled off with her ceremonial robe back to her quarters, or into the garden perhaps to watch the butterflies flit around. Such a temperament Izayoi had inherited from her father, and the stubbornness and witted tongue were not of her own inheritance either. For all the beauty Izayoi had gotten from her mother, the characteristics she'd inherited from her father had cancelled it out. How she would make a good wife was beyond her mother; that tongue of hers always seemed to move without permission.

It seemed that, however, on Izayoi's way back out to the fences to spy on the man under the apple tree, she was intercepted by her father, sans Lord Onimaru.

"Izayoi," tutted the princess's father patronisingly as they sat in the comfortable lounging quarters. Always the princess, however, Izayoi sat up straight with her legs tucked under her bottom. Her father continued. "Sixteen years and still not married; you will be seventeen at least before you wed and having bore no sons who will carry on my legacy, when will you take up a suitor and become a wife?"

"I have no interest in marrying," replied Izayoi calmly, knowing fully the fate of her father's legacy should she not bare sons. "Father, there are no suitors I wish to marry, no man of which I want to bless you with a grandson. No man," she used the words properly, "I can find deserving of inheriting your legacy and all you have created – as much as it is your job to find a suitor, it is mine."

"Izayoi, you must marry…," her father's eyes softened when he realised just why he was forcing his daughter to marry. "You are my only child."

Izayoi sighed into her tea, presented in an ornate china cup of cherry blossoms and green leaves. Her father was elderly and with a head of thin grey hair, sat opposite her. Her father's plain navy robe contrasted Izayoi's intricate layered kimono, in colours such as pale pink and turquoise and decorated with the finest stitching.

"Brother's death must have been so inconvenient for you, then," replied Izayoi calmly into her tea cup. "If he had lived so, I would not be required to marry as I am… If he had lived…"

"Our village would have succumbed to the serpent demons of the forest," interrupted her father.

"The dog general protected us from them," replied Izayoi calmly.

"The dog demon protected the soldiers of these lands, only to turn around and slaughter half of them – your brother included, Izayoi," spoke the Lord sternly. "Demons are dangerous, they are scum who have no regard for the human life – how delicate and special it is like the finest silk. Our lives are beautiful but at the same time delicate, a silken thread is easily broken by those who cannot care for it properly. A demon, Izayoi, can live a thousand years and not grow old – how can someone with such a long existence have pity and emotions for humans, or value the human life? Your brother was murdered by the Dog General of the Western lands, Izayoi."

"He saved this town, this manor," argued Izayoi.

"He killed hundreds of our men without remorse." Then the Lord poured another cup of green tea and hummed. "Now, back to this suitor business… There's a fine suitor on his way, I have heard, named Takemaru…"

Izayoi, the hime of a wealthy lord, wandered the spring flower gardens outside the manor's gates in the evening. Dusk was the best time to gaze at such flowers bathing in the last glows of the sun before resting in the night. For the morrow, Lord Takemaru was said to have made his way to the manor and ask the hand of Izayoi. She wondered what this Takemaru would be like – the man she'd wanted to find: the diamond in the rough. As Izayoi got into her teens and suitors began to seek her out, an impeccable sense of judgement became Izayoi, and instantly she could make a decision about the character of the man she was presented with. Onimaru, for example, when his eyes flashed from Izayoi's quipped words, had a horrible temper and didn't appreciate such a verbal woman. Lord Dasuke was incredibly greedy, and well, Lord Jakeromaru had more of an interest in the page boy of her father then the beautiful hime across the tea-room he was seeking. Izayoi groaned, for it wasn't like she didn't wish to bare her father an heir, but no man was suitable as of yet. Perhaps this Takemaru…

"My lady?" a rough yet strangely gentle voice caught her ear, out of the daydream she was having at dusk had turned into a slight daze sitting in a field of soft wildflowers under a dark, starry sky. When the hime snapped her head up, pulling her fanning ebony locks from the ground where they pooled, she was met with a lithe form and honey eyes like the sun that had just set. The man from the apple tree, sans the long scroll. "Are you alright? What are you doing out so late, so far from the manor?"

"I-I'm fine," muttered Izayoi quickly, suddenly appalled at being caught in such a compromising position for a lady. Her kimono was stained and wrinkled and she was out past the dusk, still far away from the manor where no doubt the maidens were worrying for her safety, and worse of all, in the company of a strange man. "I… I must be going now."

"Please," he bowed lowly to her. "I mean you no harm – let me escort you to the manor of which you reside." A long what looked like, claw, pointed to the manor on the hill. "There, I presume, hime?"

Izayoi suddenly gasped. Perhaps she had not seen it from her distance at her spying on the gate, nor had she felt the sudden ominous aura in the air. Under the moonlight now, she could see such markings that identified his heritage more different than hers. It had been told that truly the most fearsome youkai could appear before one in a human body, and that such demons were the strongest and dangerous of them all. And the man standing before Izayoi had purple stripes, like scars which ran across his cheeks, pointed delicate ears, topaz eyes like the rich expensive honey her father bought on special occasions, and three swords hanging in his belt.

"D-Demon," she cried and stumbled back. Her sandal suddenly clipped a stone hidden in the flower bed, and Izayoi fell backwards. Preparing for the hard body to connect with her back, Izayoi scrunched her eyes and braced for impact. Impact, however, never came and suddenly a strong arm wrapped around her waist.

"I prefer," snarled the demon into Izayoi's ear as he held her tightly around the waist. "Lord of the Western Lands."

InuTaisho pulled the hime vertical once again, setting her down if not a little wobbly, but safely on her sandals once again. Izayoi frowned at the demon which suddenly knelt before her, lowly and in submission.

"I do not wish to harm you, my lady," he said, his gaze fixed hard to the dirt and pebbles of the ground beneath him. "Yet there are demons in these surrounds that do not think the same as I; it's not safe for you to be out at night as you are, please let me accompany you back to the manor."

"As you wish," replied Izayoi calmly and began to walk back up the hill, towards the front gate of her father's manor. The dog demon was not far behind.

"May I know the name of the lady?" InuTaisho asked softly, coming to walk in step with the slightly disturbed and dirty hime.

"No you may not," replied Izayoi sharply.

"Shall I call you hime, perhaps, or my lady?" badgered the dog demon.

"You shall call me nothing at all," grated Izayoi. "I don't make a habit of associating myself with demons."

"And I don't make a habit of associating myself with humans," replied InuTaisho, it seemed willing to give back the princess everything she gave him. "Unless it's on the blade of my sword, however, then I have associated myself with countless humans."

Izayoi crinkled her nose and held her head up a little higher, continuing to walk gracefully towards the front gate. Why did it seem so far away? "Why would you say such a thing? You are a vile monster."

"I am only willing to give death to those who deserve it," countered InuTaisho. "Human's are not free of sin, my lady, and of this you know."

"Speaking of such a way in front of a lady, Lord of the Western Lands," she said in a light tone. How did she seem to make all his conquest and great title a huge mockery just by tone? "Did your mother never teach you how to converse with a woman?"

There was a glimmer in InuTaisho's honey eyes, Izayoi noticed it as playful. He thought she was playing with him. He found the conversation amusing. "I could have asked you the same: has your father never taught you how to properly address a powerful demon lord?"

"I'm sure he will," replied the hime. "If I do ever meet one."

A low growl vibrated through InuTaisho's throat and his eyes glittered sinfully. Izayoi, however, ignored the growls of warning and skipped the few small paced between her and the front gate and casually slipped her body through the gap.

"Thank you for your accompaniment," said Izayoi and slipped into her father's manor and away from the dog demon. The gate closed with a creak and InuTaisho leapt away.

* * *

><p>For many moons, Izayoi was blessed with not encountering such a fearful beast again. Distinctly she remembered the way the moonlight had danced along his silver hair, the same colour of the armour he had strapped to his shoulders and breast. This Lord of the Western Lands was known around the part, and simply known as such – the demon lord of the Western Lands. But there must have been a name his mother blessed him with, frowned Izayoi, though she had no intentions of ever learning what that was. He was the great dog general who had fought along side the soldiers of this village to defeat the forest serpents, and then, the very same dog general that, just as the battle had finished, turned upon the village men and slaughtered them.<p>

He had slaughtered her brother, dear Hotaru; a general of only two decades old.

The Lord had been sitting out under an apple tree reading a tome; also, Izayoi remembered distinctly and felt a pang of childish jealousy at how fine his hair really was – like the hair of an angel. His face was ruggedly handsome; there were markings that told her off his heritage – of his full blooded nature, as did his long claws. But his eyes, a soft blue-grey, seemed to contrast all those things. Izayoi hadn't met many demons as intimately as she'd met the Lord, but when she had their eyes had been cold, dead. They were no more than deadly animals trying to survive, so lack of humanity and emotion they were primal and instinctive. The Lord was intelligent, so much more than the normal demon, his eyes mirrored so much more than dead.

A suitor by the name of Takemaru was to approach the castle in perhaps fifteen nights, as her father had told her. His ride was a long one, and Izayoi hoped for both their sakes, it wasn't a fruitless one. She did long to marry, but to marry a fine gentleman was a real task – so many only wanted a pretty face, hoards of money and armies to control. This Takemaru, the one that road so eagerly to meet her his trip was over two moon cycles long, had to be different; how long could she bare having to sift through suitors like flour? Eventually her mother would find some little weevil in the sift grids for her to marry, someone who would disrespect father and…

"Izayoi!" a sudden voice from a nurse made the hime turn around. It was the middle of the night, and Izayoi expected to be scolded from not sleeping.

"Yes?"

"It's your mother, hurry!" the nurse hitched up her robes and, on bare feet, ran down the wooden floor boarded hallways. Pulling back the shoji, the nurse revealed a body lying on a futon; the blankets folded half-way down the body and parted lips sucking in shallow breaths of air.

"Mother," Izayoi wept, falling by her mother's side and taking up her hand.

"The fever was quick," spoke the nurse gravely, her voice cutting through the still evening air. "The Lord has already said his farewells and is arranging the funeral. She doesn't have much time left, my lady."

"No!" Izayoi cried. "Mother, no!"

Her mother's eyes were bloodshot and across her forehead was a slick layer of sweat. Her skin was cold and clammy, already lifeless and as the lady sucked in her last few breaths of sweet, evening air, Izayoi wished for her to seek out her son in the passing, to be in peace and not to worry about father any longer – that she would take care of him. Her mother smiled briefly, sucked in a breath, squeezed Izayoi's hand and then, was gone.

"My lady?" the nurse bowed lowly.

"She's gone," rasped Izayoi. "My mother is gone."

"The fever was quick – I did not notice it until the Lord roused me," said the nurse as Izayoi tucked her mother's hand under the sheets before pulling them up over her head.

"If it truly was a fever," muttered Izayoi, "then be on the lookout for others with the condition – I want everything burnt, her body, the futons and linens, mother's robes as well. Tell father to stay away from these quarters – I will not have father leave as well."

The nurse nodded and scatted down the hall, obviously to talk with the Lord about funeral arrangements. Izayoi batted a tear from her eye, turned away from where her mother's cold corpse lie and drew the shoji doors to a shut.

By morning, the village had heard about the Lady's death and had gathered for the funeral, paying respects in the way of flowers and small trinkets, saying prayers for the health of the remaining members of the prestigious household and for the mother's peace. Izayoi stood, dressed in her finest robes to say goodbye to her mother as the flames engulfed her body in the furnace. The bedding and clothes had been burnt earlier this morning. The noblemen, under the shade of the wisteria in the gardens, planted a small box of ashes from the furnace under a delicate tombstone. Izayoi knelt and prayed, she wished her mother for peace again, to meet up with her brother, for her father's health and wellbeing, and most of all, that this Takemaru was a good suitor. More than anything, she wished for that.

"You always looked like your mother," a fond croaking voice said from behind. "I'm glad her death was not painful…"

"Father," Izayoi said, startled and bowed as lowly as she could from her already kneeling position.

"The Lord's son, Takemaru, had encountered heavy storms on his journey – I'm afraid that he may not arrive for another four to five days on top of his already fifteen days."

Izayoi nodded. "It will be fine, as long as Takemaru arrives safely."

Her father seemed surprised. "Izayoi, my dear child," he chuckled softly. "Do not tell me you are considering the Lord's son? After all the suitors you have tossed out like dogs, what makes him so different when you have never met the man?"

"I have not changed," replied Izayoi, bending her head lower so that she was studying the stone pavement of the courtyard. "The circumstances have."

She heard her father exhale before Izayoi was told to rise. She was a few heads taller than her father when she stood up straight, and did so when her father took her affectionately by the chin and smiled. "Whatever choice you make, Izayoi," smiled her father. "It will be the right one."

"Why the change of tone, father?"

The old Lord sighed and his eyes drifted to his wife's tombstone. "… I was in love with your mother when I wed her. My brother wedded another woman from a land a months ride away – he was not in love with her. My brother never respected the land his wife was from like I respected mine – he destroyed their economy, sent their men into battles they could never hope to win and on one occasion, burnt the village surrounding them to the ground. I could never hope to wed you to such a monster, my dearest daughter, my honour and my dignity could never allow it." He smiled briefly, his teeth blackened from the tobacco he chewed. "I hope, for your sake, as much as mine, that this Takemaru is suitable…"

* * *

><p>Part one of this little project... I adore InuTaisho; I think he's such a great character despite how little said about him. I always pictured him very regal, yet cheeky - which will ensure a lot of fun. I've been meaning to write this out, but it wouldn't work out. It was going to be a one-shot, but I've decided it to make it a few parts long...<p>

Tell me what you thought, write a long or short message when you hit **'review!'**

**~Arlia'devi**


	2. Part 2: The Moonlight Prince

The Midnight Sun

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, all rights go to Rumiko Takahashi and associates. I make no money from this.

A/N: I hope you don't mind me calling the father "InuTaisho"; because Inu no Taisho is such a winded thing to write out. I'm sure you'll all forgive me.

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

**Part II: Moonlight Prince**

Another of the nurses had fallen ill with the fever and had subsequently passed by the next dawn, and her body had been burnt and placed under the wisteria also. Izayoi had ordered that all bedding be replaced and the old bedding burnt, that all linen was to be washed by the stream. Since there were a small number of nurses and attendance left, she aided in the laundry, taking a wicker basket full of linen down to the stream that meandered through the meadows downhill and began to wash.

Izayoi, the Lady of the Manor, now, after her mother's death, could not bear to have her father die. He was old and frail; despite how rough he talked and how much tobacco he chewed. If he did die and if Takemaru was indeed a villain, she would have no choice but to marry him despite how vile a man he may be. A woman could not care for a village and a manor on her own for very long– perhaps a demoness, but Izayoi definitely was not one of those.

"Deep in thought, my lady?" a voice snapped Izayoi up from the stream bank and across the water.

Before she got a good look at who had spoken to her, like the wind itself, the figure moved so quickly she didn't notice that he was kneeling beside her until she saw one knee out of the side of her vision, clothed in a divine white silk.

"Hello Lord," she muttered and went back to washing. "Please leave me alone."

InuTaisho's brow puckered. "Come now," he whimpered. "I am sorry for the loss of your mother, young hime."

"You don't have the right to speak of her," gritted Izayoi and washed the linen a little more forcefully than needed.

"What did she die of, if I may ask?"

"A fever," Izayoi spat. "And it's already claimed a nurse more in the manor – I am washing all the linen."

"I see," InuTaisho remarked softly and then he noticed what the young woman was wearing – a simple white cotton robe, not adorned nor embellished, not made of silk or with bright, bold patterning. He laughed softly.

"What is so funny, my Lord?" muttered Izayoi, pulling out a sopping wet bed sheet and not meaning to wet him so thoroughly though secretly pleased that she had then folding it in a wet basket for hanging. His silver hair stuck to the wet olive skin of his neck. "You must enjoy torturing humans."

"I am not torturing you, my lovely lady," he replied. "I found it rather amusing that you lied to me about being a hime, when you are wearing nothing more than slave clothes."

"I am a _hime_," growled Izayoi, taking the young Lord by surprise. "I am the Lady of the Manor, now, and you had better show some respect, demon or I'll fetch the best priests in the area and have you purified for even walking on my lands without permission."

InuTaisho remained silent for a moment, his lips kicked up into an amused smirk before he threw his head back and barked out fits of laughter. Izayoi scowled. "A human has never dared such cheek with me," chuckled the Lord. "I must know your name, my lovely hime. I enjoy your company."

Izayoi squeaked, "I will not give you the pleasure of my name, demon."

"You really must stop calling me demon," laughed InuTaisho. "I am the Lord of the Western Lands; I am not just any demon. It would be as if I called you, 'human'," he noticed how Izayoi huffed. "Not very nice, is it?"

"What is your name?"

"I already told you, Lord of the Western Lands."

"Ne, that is your title, my lord," replied Izayoi, throwing another washed sheet into the basket. "Like my title is hime. What is your name – the name your mother blessed you with?"

InuTaisho shuffled in a little closer before reclining back, one hand bracing him on the soft grasses along the stream bank. He hitched up one leg so that his white _hakama_ was pulled tight and rested another arm over his waist in a relaxed pose. A pose which also meant he intended no harm to the young woman in his company; in all honesty, he wanted nothing more than a conversation. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours," he replied, always with the cheek.

"Hmm," Izayoi hummed, giving back the demon more than half the teasing he was giving her. "Alright, it's a deal my lord. You first."

"InuTaisho," spoke the dog demon with ease. "The great dog demon and Lord of the Western Lands."

"Izayoi; Lady of the Manor."

"Izayoi," repeated InuTaisho, as if testing how it rolled on his tongue. "Very pretty – a foreboding perhaps, onto how beautiful the babe would grow to be by whom bestowed it."

"Go away, InuTaisho," sighed Izayoi. "You have what you wanted, now leave me be."

InuTaisho frowned. "Why?" he demanded. "I only wish to have a conversation, my lovely Izayoi – I haven't spoken to anyone in months and my soldiers hardly provide as intelligent and witty conversation as you do. Why must I leave you be, do you find me irritating?"

"Rather," grimaced the woman. "I know of the terrible things you've done to this village…"

"I saved this village," he countered, getting rather annoyed now. "Perhaps a year ago now – I saved it."

"You killed half of our army in the process," spat Izayoi, throwing another sheet into the basket and not caring how wet her companion got. "You slaughtered them without a second thought – you did not spare them when they fought beside you as comrades. Why then, InuTaisho – now that I know what name the devil goes by, should I even give you a second thought when you so carelessly, without remorse killed my older brother."

InuTaisho frowned. He had not known any of the men he had slain, let alone to pick out a single one as the heir to the lands around these parts. Sucking in a deep breath, InuTaisho said, "It was perhaps a little under a year ago now, I was coming home from battle in the East… I smelt the stench of those forest serpents, ones who give my manor trouble; eat the flesh of my soldiers and who slaughter damage under the lands that I rule. They were attacking this village, I suppose your father had already sent out an army."

"I do not want to know how you killed them, Lord," hissed Izayoi and went to get up. From the way she had been knelling, her calves had become cramped, making it hard to walk away properly without pain. InuTaisho leapt up and caught her sleeve.

"No," he bit out. "But I suppose you would like to know _why_ it is your brother died that night. Listen to me."

Izayoi turned her head away, shut her eyes tightly and attempted to tug her way free of the demon's grasp, but he wouldn't allow it. "I killed the forest serpent, I admit, for my own gain but also the villages – this village is on my territory, everything you think you own is mine, but I merely hold it for the gods…"

That's why he had waltzed around her father's courtyards previous days without a flutter of an eyelash in caring…

"When I killed the forest serpents, I was badly injured, Izayoi… Your brother and the army your father had summoned found it fit to kill me." Her grip slackened, she'd stopped fighting it. "I had not known what I did to get free; I only knew that I would die if I stayed. The villagers turned on _me_, Izayoi. I saved them and they turned on me."

"H-how can I believe that is true," stuttered Izayoi. "How do I know if you're telling the truth?"

"You don't," replied the dog general solemnly, releasing the hime's sleeve and allowing her to stumble back, though not as far that she might have fell. "It's a decision you have to make, Izayoi. Your father probably said the same thing – I do _not_ terrorise villages under my lands, why fight against something I already own? Why would I slaughter my own people?"

"You do not own me, InuTaisho!" huffed Izayoi and gathered her basket of washed linen and began to storm back to the manor, InuTaisho in hot pursuit behind her.

"I do not own you, Izayoi," he spoke. "But these are my lands, lands I keep safe for the Gods, your father owns them just as much as I do in that sense. Izayoi," he said lowly. "I am telling you the truth. I do not lie."

Izayoi huffed, ignored the inuyoukai who had stopped dead in his tracks halfway up the hill and continued on, intent on pegging out the sheets so that they could dry in time to be used the evening.

* * *

><p>The Lord sought out Izayoi: her father, it was, not the strange dog general that had been following her around for the past few hours. Every so often she would get a glimpse of that silver hair pinned up high on his head by string and bone, or the sun would gleam off his silver breastplate adorned with vines and animals from lands far away. Though, since she had been washing in the stream, InuTaisho had not made a move to converse with her again. Izayoi's father was leaning on a cane walking stick and watched his daughter pin up the sheets. Another one of the nurses had fallen ill.<p>

"My dear," he croaked. "You must be careful."

"I know father," replied Izayoi and dusted off the cotton _yukata_. "I have washed all my clothes, all the finest silks I have, switched futons and sheets, and-,"

"I don't mean about the fever," interrupted the old man lowly. "There's something much dangerous than a fever around these parts, I'm afraid."

"Like what?"

The old Lord looked around the courtyard suspiciously. "There have been reports from the noblemen that a youkai has been patrolling the area."

"Forest serpents?" inquired Izayoi lightly, though she knew exactly what youkai it was.

"No," replied her father. "He calls himself the Lord of the Western Lands – the dog general is around. I do not know what he wants back in the village he so viciously destroyed, but I know it can't possibly be good. If he doesn't clear out to whatever mangy den he comes from, I'll have the Village of Sarauma send over their best priests and have him purified off our lands."

Izayoi nodded. "I'm sure he will leave, there is no need to endanger the lives of the villagers by telling them of this. He will get bored and move on, I'm sure of it."

"You stay inside the manor walls, Izayoi - I will have no harm befalling you."

"Yes father," Izayoi nodded and pegged the last sheet.

"You may go as far as the stream down the meadows, if you tell me where," said the Lord. "I'll have noblemen accompany you."

"Have you gotten word from Takemaru yet?" asked Izayoi. "Has the storm passed?"

"Not that I know off – no pigeon was sent today."

The hime nodded and her father hobbled away without another thought, probably to read scrolls in his private garden, or to pray at the private shrine for the health and safety of his daughter. Whatever it had been, the old Lord had disappeared by the time, from a branch which firmly tied the rope which suspended the white sheets in the air, one Lord of the Western Lands swung upside down, his strong thighs and calves hooked over a branch keeping him suspended and his silver tresses falling over his face and brushing the pavement.

"Go away, InuTaisho," sighed Izayoi and picked up the cane basket. "If anyone sees you, my father will have you purified."

InuTaisho laughed softly at that and swung down from his perch. "My lovely Izayoi-,"

"I am not _your_ lovely Izayoi. Leave me; I'm getting exhausted with your antics."

"Antics?" he frowned, confused.

"You are like a child the way you run and play around, teasing people and being cheeky. I am exhausted from it."

InuTaisho laughed, rather loudly in fact. "Oh, my dear Izayoi," he received a heated glare from her russet eyes for that one, yet again. "If anyone else spoke to me the way you do, their innards would be spilt on this lovely pavement of your fathers."

"Are you trying to frighten me, my Lord?" replied Izayoi.

InuTaisho smiled, making sure to pull back far enough to give her a good look at the fangs he had sheathed under his lips. She glanced at them, but seemed unimpressed. Her scent remained calm, if not a little annoyed. "I do not frighten easily," she replied with a smug smile. "And I am not _your_ Izayoi."

He grinned well naturedly at that. "Indeed," he commented softly. "Will you talk with me, Izayoi, if it so pleases your lady?"

"Why do you wish so badly for me to speak with you?"

The dog demon's pointy white boot shuffled for a moment and his silver brow puckered. "I have been on campaign for many years, Izayoi; I told you before… I desire company; female company. I will not take a paid lover, nor will I force myself onto those who are not willing and taint their honour or my own," he grinned wryly. "That leaves me with only one option – conversation, and you hold as good a conversation as any woman I have ever met, Izayoi. Please, converse with me a little longer, I promise to do you no harm."

Izayoi frowned. "No harm?" she repeated.

"No harm," confirmed InuTaisho. "Is there somewhere private we can speak? I don't particularly feel like getting purified today…"

Izayoi laughed lightly, a melodious laugh and InuTaisho registered it as the first time she had laughed at the things he'd said, honestly laughed at something she found funny and the sound rang through his ears. With a sway of her hips through the slave's white yukata, Izayoi motioned for the demon to follow her, an act which, in later thoughts, she realised was the beginning of the end. But oh, had she known how things would turn out, every time she would have coaxed him outside of the manor's gates. If she had the chance over again, she would have told InuTaisho to kill Takemaru, to spare the demon's life; _their_ life…

"Meet me by the apricot trees," she said softly and strolled toward the main gate. "I'll tell the guards I'm going down to the stream to cool off if you're certain no harm will come to me."

InuTaisho smiled softly and leapt back into the oak tree he had once swung off, and then up and over the manor walls to sit calmly amongst the dozens of apricot trees in a small valley a small walk away from the manor. He scouted for danger and could pick up on the hime's slow walk up the hill where he was waiting. There were small youkai around, perhaps badgers and weasels but none that would come as a threat to the lady. She was coming unaccompanied, her sandals slapping against her feet softly as they walked through the grasses and wildflowers that grew on the hills.

"So, Lord of the Western Lands," his ears perked up as his formal title as Izayoi came to greet him, he sitting cross legged in the middle of the field. "What is it you wish to converse with me about?"

"Have you made a decision about your brother?" inquired InuTaisho lightly.

Izayoi shrugged a little, rather unbefitting for a hime, but there was a lot about this woman that was a little unbefitting for a hime of her status. "I have considered what you said on the matter, and what my father said on the matter and I have decided it doesn't really matter who I believe," she hummed lightly. "I was not there, I can never know what really happened, and making a judgement over who is right and who is wrong will not bring my brother back." She smiled at him briefly. "I acknowledge my father is right, just as you are, InuTaisho. In the same respect, I acknowledge that my father is wrong, in the same way that you are."

"If that's your judgement…," mumbled the lord.

"My judgement will not bring him back," sighed Izayoi and began to pick at the wildflowers that grew under her knees. "And holding onto it will not bear well with my soul; revenge makes the heart all bitter inside." She crinkled her nose, "not really my kind of thing."

InuTaisho laughed. "You have extracted your revenge on someone before?"

"Not someone," corrected Izayoi lightly, laughing softly. "Something." She hesitated to admit it as the dog watched on eagerly, "a sea bird flew down to where I was eating breakfast one morning perhaps three or four years ago; there was a small fish roll on my plate and as I was about to eat it, I was very hungry you see, it picked it up and gobbled it whole."

InuTaisho nodded, a smile kicking up the side of his lips.

"Well, at lunch time, that very same seabird was loitering around the grounds just looking for my lunch again. I took out a roll from the kitchen, placed a small amount of poison in it; just enough to kill and gave it to the sea bird." She shrugged and laughed a little. "By the end of the afternoon I found it dead in the courtyard. I felt very guilty then; it was only hungry and I had ample food to feed me."

"That is _worse_ than anything I have ever done," cried InuTaisho. "I am absolutely disgusted in you, Izayoi – how could you?"

Izayoi laughed, her voice breaking into hiccuped giggles. "I have never killed anything since, I couldn't even bear to ring a rabbit's neck when I travelled to a village a weeks ride away. I don't know why they gave it to me, a joke I suppose," she smiled. "Oh InuTaisho, don't look at me like that!"

InuTaisho yawned and stretched out on the soft grass, adjusting his armour so that he could lie down comfortably with his shoulder plate still in tact. He had notice before Izayoi stare at his armour – the shoulder plates and breastplates in plain sight. Under his white hakama he wore strapped silver greaves, tied under the knee and at the ankle just before where his hakama was gathered in with a cord. He gave another yawn, a longer one and flexed his jaw. Izayoi remained kneeled before him, her lovely raven hair fanned around her head and tickling her waistline. "Your hair is light nightfall," he commented lazily, rolling one eye to watch her smile prettily and turn away.

"Your hair is like moonlight," she replied and InuTaisho smiled.

"Moonlight, ne?"

* * *

><p>Thanks to all that reviewed, <strong>Darmaine, The-Aquamarine-Amulet, Say0mi Saki <strong>and **Kate.** Your reviews mean a lot to me. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, do take some time to **review**, even if it's a quick message.

Until next time,

**~ Arlia'devi **


	3. Part 3: Midnight Walk

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, all rights go to Rumiko Takahashi and associates. I make no money from this.

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

**Part III: Midnight Walk**

The Lord's son Takemaru was still leagues away from Izayoi's manor by the time dawn broke the following morning and the young hime rose from her bedchamber. She took a long, soaked bath in the bating quarters before dressing in something a little more elegant than a slave's white cotton yukata. The nurse who had fallen ill had recovered by that same morning, making the household believe that the fever which had taken the late Lady and a nurse had run its course. The lord chewed tobacco and slept in his quarters most of the days, and despite rumours of uprising, demons and war, the land that he commanded was peaceful. It allowed the old lord many hours of leisure when he wasn't worried about assembling troops or treaties with neighbouring villages.

The Lord's daughter, the lovely Izayoi was a maiden of near seventeen, indeed her birthday was only seven moons away. Fingers calloused with a lifetime of sword wielding ran over the silk of her birthday kimono, a fine gown he had purchased for the celebration of her last birthday as a true maiden, though she was ripe for marriage many years ago. It hung on it's framing in his personal chambers and was the colours of spring, the season she had been born; of leaves and rich soil, of soft flowers blooming and birds flying in the ever-blue skies. It was a kimono fit for any hime, and his darling Izayoi would be immaculate in it.

In speaking of Izayoi, the young princess was indeed in her bedchamber, wearing a soft orange kimono and was kneeling by the open shoji doors to her patio, in her hands what had been left by her doorstep. An ivory comb, carved with vines similar to those on the giver's silver breast plate. Izayoi didn't need to read the leaflet tied to the comb in a red ribbon that held the name "InuTaisho" in kanji because she already knew it had come from him. Along the ivory were small glassy beads, she didn't dare think they to be adamant – perhaps look-alikes. Nevertheless, the comb was stunning and as she placed it into her raven locks, of which had been brushed and waxed into a traditional bun, Izayoi found herself looking around for the troubling Lord that seemed contented in causing her annoyance and finding glee out of being slightly obnoxious.

But he wasn't there.

Was this a parting gift for the conversations she'd held with him a days prior – a token on the loneliness she'd quenched in him?

Izayoi sighed and touched the comb. Whatever the case may be, she was happy to have seen the rear of the demon lord. Maybe he had been purified by the village priests, but that seemed unlikely. Something told Izayoi he wasn't the sort of demon easily purified. She assumed that like human political hierarchy, InuTaisho didn't get to be Lord of the Western Lands by being purified easily. Oh well, she held little thought, and little regrets. She'd simply conversed with the demon who promised her little harm and received a beautiful comb in return. There was no harm done as she saw it, and promptly Izayoi left her bedchamber as nurses came to fold up the used futon for the day.

It was a cool spring day, the sun's sting of summer was not present as of yet in the mid-March morning. Izayoi read scrolls in the shades of the garden, drank tea with the nurses and her father and chatted to small children who accompanied their parents from the village. Izayoi prayed at her mother's temple, noticed that the roses were beginning to bud and watched the sun sink lower into the horizon as the village men and their sons left the manor. At night, under the light of a candle, her father read a message from the Lord Takemaru foretelling his journey was back on track after the ferocious storm battered their campsite.

"My, my," hummed the old Lord as Izayoi turned her head just so. "Were did you get such a pretty comb from, my dear child…"

Izayoi self-consciously touched the ivory comb. "I have had it for many years, Father," she smiled and laughed. "And you've only just noticed it?"

"Hmmm," mumbled the old Lord. "I truly am getting old then, aren't I?" Izayoi laughed and her father ushered her out of the room. "Come now, it's late. Off to bed with you, Izayoi."

Izayoi followed the oil torches brandished by the nursemaids to her bedside before they closed the shoji doors and bid their lady goodnight. Kneeling to slip the treasures from her hair and letting it cascade in waves down her back, Izayoi placed the ivory comb in a small jewel box along with the freshwater pearl pins also weaved into her hair. Sighing, Izayoi closed the box and pushed it to the side of the room, and was in the process of slipping the top layer of her kimono off when suddenly something rattled outside the shoji doors to the patio, like a ferocious wind. Apprehensively, she rose to her feet and padded toward the doors.

"M-my Lord?" Izayoi frowned when she slid open the shoji doors to reveal the proud standing InuTaisho on her front step.

"Izayoi," he smiled in reply and took a step forward. The shoji door was instantly snapped shut.

"Leave me!" she growled. "You said yourself you wanted nothing more than a conversation! Did you lie?"

InuTaisho smiled and opened the shoji doors once again, with little effort slipping them from her hands and exposing her bedchambers to the night. If he had truly wanted to take Izayoi against her will, it would not have been hard. He did not, however. "I only want your company," he spoke. "InuTaisho does not lie."

"Why do you come at me in the middle of the night?" she asked.

"The manor was occupied all day and I don't fancy getting my rear end purified, no matter how feeble an attempt it may be," he replied and as quick as lightning, one claw went to grasp Izayoi's small hand. "Come walk with me, Izayoi; I have desired you company all day."

"W-where?"

"In the forest."

"The forest?" Izayoi screeched in a hushed tone, ripping her hands away from the demon lord. "Are you crazy?"

"I'll protect you from any harm," he replied with a dazzling, toothy smile. "Izayoi, don't you trust me?" he took her hand again and held it to his cold breastplate. "I am your lord," he muttered. "I am your protector, Izayoi – you must trust me. No harm will befall you; I swear to the Gods I hold these lands for, smite me down if I am so lying."

"What do you require from me if we go into this forest?" Izayoi's russet eyes narrowed at the demon lord.

"Nothing but your lovely face and entrancing conversation, my lovely Izayoi," he replied.

The hime pushed past InuTaisho, into the darkness of night his eyes could easily cut through and adjusted her robes. "Fine," she gritted out as InuTaisho leapt from the patio to guide the human, who was all but blind in such darkness out of the manor. Knowing there to be guards at the gate, he opted for a more traditional method of sneaking out and quickly, before Izayoi screamed and woke the entire manor, gathered her into his arms by the knees and shoulders and leapt over the manor wall, placing her down a few fields afterward. At the Lord's cheeky grin, Izayoi huffed and straightened out her robes.

"Should you lure me into the woods to kill me, Lord of the Western Lands," spoke Izayoi as InuTaisho lead her into the beginnings of the woods separating her village from another. "I will be very upset."

"Oh my," he replied teasingly. "I really shouldn't do it then, I would hate for you to become upset at me, my dear Izayoi."

"I am _not_ your Izayoi!'

The dog general smiled well naturedly at that and continued to guide Izayoi into the shadowy depths of the forest until she was quite certain even if she was to escape, she would be terribly lost. Izayoi supposed there was nothing else to do than really and truly trusting this demon lord, and hoping it was true when he said that he 'never lied'. Suddenly, InuTaisho.

"My Lord?" whispered Izayoi and he grunted in reply.

"Stay quiet, Izayoi," he whispered and wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her against him. "Stay close and stay behind me."

Izayoi was about to ask whatever could be wrong; she didn't have the sense of youki or demonic auras like he did or the mikos of the villages around, but shut her mouth quickly when InuTaisho addressed something hidden in the groves of the forest.

"Come out, vile creature," he hissed and popped Sou'ounga that lie on his hip. Izayoi had noticed he possessed three swords; what a demon wanted with three swords was beyond her, though.

"The village hime," a sickening voice slithered out from the groves as a green, slick, _slimy_ forest serpent made itself known. Its crimson eyes glittered in the filtered moonlight. "What are you doing out so late at night, my lovely darling…?"

"Don't speak to it," replied InuTaisho with a huff and Izayoi found herself pressing her form behind the demon lord who stood as tall and as rigid as a guardian temple statue between her and the forest serpent. "Such a lowly demon," he barked as the serpent twisted and coiled, baring it's fangs to InuTaisho. "You do not address the lord's daughter!" he scowled and looked at the demon sword in his grasp. "Using the Dragon Twister on you would not only be an intense overkill but it wouldn't honour the sword in the least."

And then InuTaisho, with his sword carefully sheathed, lunged forward and sharpened his deadly claws on the serpent's flimsy skin, beheading it and sending an oozing, twitching body to the ground at the hime's feet. She squeaked and scattered away, backing into the closest tree as InuTaisho threw the serpents head into the foliage of which it came. With a white boot he kicked away the body.

"Sorry you had to witness that, my Lady," smiled the Lord courteously, and offering Izayoi a hand not dirtied in serpent grime. "But he did want to eat you."

Apprehensively, Izayoi placed a hand on InuTaisho's forearm, and as soon as she had, the demon lord shrugged slightly so she was pulled up against him. "I told you I would protect you," he smiled. "I did not, nor ever will, lie."

Izayoi pursed her lips as they continued forward into the shadowy scrub. _Indeed…_

InuTaisho washed his bloody claws off in a stream by the moonlight clearing, inwardly scanning for any threats in the nearby area. There were none, thankfully, the demons were intelligent enough to stay away from someone who could slaughter them so easily. Izayoi, behind him, was sitting on a rock, her legs gathered to her chest and her chin resting on her knees. She was gazing at the flowers that grew under the moonlight, then the stars that dotted the velvet skies, then to the back of the demon lord in front of her.

"Thank you for your gift, my lord," Izayoi whispered softly.

"You're very welcome, my lady," he replied, noticing how courteous she was beginning to get. _She's beginning to trust me… _Though InuTaisho could admit that, he wasn't a fool enough to realise he still had a long way to go to gain such trust.

"It must have been rather expensive…," she commented nonchalantly.

"Rather," he replied, equally as passively.

"Why did you give me such a comb, then?" she asked, looking up as InuTaisho turned around from the stream. He wiped his claws on the fabric of his hakama. "Why bother giving me gifts, InuTaisho? I don't understand…"

The demon lord frowned. "I want your favour, Izayoi – is it really that hard to understand? Or do you think I could never care for someone such as you? Do you think I can never be more than a vile, killing monster that doesn't want company, conversation and does not have the honour to give my lady the chivalrous manner she deserves?"

Izayoi bowed her head low. "I apologise, my lord… I've offended you."

"No," he said, kneeling by her side. "No you haven't, Izayoi."

She hummed nonchalantly and said, "Well, then, you wanted a conversation; what do you want to converse about?"

InuTaisho thought hard and reclined back, so that his back was resting against a smooth stone. One leg was pulled up, hitched at the knee so that his white hakama was pulled tight. His mokomoko blew in the calm, evening breeze. It was truly a gorgeous spring night – relaxing and cool without being biting. Under the moonlight, Izayoi waited for the Lord's answer.

"Well, I suppose you don't really know much about myself, do you, Izayoi?" spoke InuTaisho, and then he grinned. "Although, you probably know as much as you really want to know…"

"If the Lord wants to speak to me about his interests, then I'll listen," she replied and shrugged a little. "But if I fall asleep, it will be blamed because the Lord's stories are not particularly interesting…"

InuTaisho laughed. "You wound me, Izayoi."

"Speak, then."

"As you wish, then, my dear," the dog general smiled softly. "I am InuTaisho, the great dog general and Lord of the Western Lands."

"So I've heard," commented Izayoi, cheekily. "Apparently you're very good in combat."

"Well, combat is straightforward," shrugged InuTaisho. "You try to kill others before they kill you. Sometimes you make plans, sometimes you don't. Battle is easy; I understand it… unlike other things in this world."

"Such as?" implored the hime.

InuTaisho's topaz eyes flicked up. "You."

"Me?" Izayoi laughed a little. "What is there to misunderstand about me?"

"I have been married before," sighed InuTaisho. "I have had a wife, and she has bore me a son, and yet, I have never engaged in a conversation with a woman such as you, one where I feel the need to be courteous and show respect. I have never been as confused or challenged as I am with you."

"You did not show respect to your wife?" Izayoi quirked an eyebrow. "My assumption of you being a vile monster may still hold true, my lord."

"No, no," he muttered. "Again, I am misunderstood by you, Izayoi. My wife, she was a political marriage, we separated perhaps two centuries ago or so… She was very cold and harsh, until the point where it was insufferable to see her even only when duty called upon it. My son, he is a strong boy, but has picked up just as much of my strength as he has her personality." The dog general cleared his throat then, "What I mean, Izayoi is that I have never tried to gain the favour of a woman, I have never conversed with her in an attempt for her to like me…"

"You have never courted a woman, my Lord?" Izayoi smiled, and InuTaisho could see how her russet eyes glimmered wickedly in the moonlight. She was enjoying this, her playful, cheeky nature often suppressed by noble rigours and duties. Izayoi enjoyed talking back and being smart, even to a man who could snap her spine like a twig. She was not afraid.

"Did you not hear the phrase, "political marriage", Izayoi?" replied the lord, eager to give back the smarts she was giving him. "Am I doing well, my lady? I've really never had much practise in conversation with a woman, most; have ended up on the other end of my sword one way or another. Well, except for my old wife, but give that time as well."

Izayoi frowned, "That, my lord, is not the way you speak to a lady." She made an effort to move, to leave this man who spoke so vilely, but he quickly caught the falling sleeve of her kimono.

"Don't leave, Izayoi," he said. "I didn't mean to offend you, or speak to you so abhorrently. You care little for my battle conquests, I know, and I do hate killing women and children, I admit that."

"You have killed women and children?" she asked, not turning to face the lord.

"Once or twice," he muttered. "I do not kill the innocent – children taken as soul slaves for demons, women without husbands wielding axes and swords… never the innocent."

"I… cannot bring myself to speak to someone who so easily takes life…," chocked the hime.

"You'd never speak to any other ordinary samurai, my lady?" asked InuTaisho. "For I assure you, none of us in this world are without bloodshed. You told me yourself, you killed a sea bird in spite. I have never killed in spite, my lady, but blood falls off every person's fingers in this world – no one leaves without spots."

Izayoi whimpered. It was true, and then InuTaisho said, "If you are waiting for a man who has not killed, who has not had another man's blood on his fingers, Izayoi then you'll be waiting for as long as you live. Blood washes off, my lady, misery does not."

"Do you feel remorse for people you've killed?" she asked, still looking into the dark forest abyss; not at the demon lord crouched at her feet.

"Huh?"

"Do you feel remorse," Izayoi whipped around then, her midnight hair fanning out around her as she did so. "Do you feel remorse for the people you've slain?"

He thought for a moment, the pursing of his brows showing just how conflicted he really was. InuTaisho had killed all his life, death was a part of his life and always had been, and now he was presented with a hime who detested killing. But true, in a world like theirs, there was not a man who had not spilt blood, and any that would not were cowards – did she really believe such nonsense? "Some," he replied softly. "Indeed, maidens under spells that have sucked their souls, they were innocent. Once, a samurai set fire to a barn knowing there was nothing but women and children inside. His blood stained my sword when I did find out about it, but by then, the maidens and babes were ash. So if you ask me if I feel remorseful, my answer is some, Izayoi. Some foolish men deserve to die, and some do not. Those who torture and kill my subjects do, those who burn down my castles and my villages, do, but those who remain peaceful, remain level headed, well, I am man enough to converse without a sword strapped to my hip."

"You have spoken to a man without your armour and weaponry?" asked Izayoi.

"Indeed," he replied. "I am not such a vile monster, am I Izayoi?"

"I know you're very powerful, my lord," replied the hime. "I may not have the powers of the priestess, I can't sense it, but I know you are. Maybe it's your armour, or the way you walk. Although I know how powerful you are, I implore it within you to be humble about it; too many good men die because their egos are bigger than their swords."

InuTaisho smiled toothily. "Oh my dear, Izayoi, in knowing your strength there is no weakness, it's only in stupidity that fools fall. Stupidity, my lovely Izayoi, is inherited; it can be taught by a father to his son. Samurai's who are stupid in battle have been trained to be stupid, they know no other way, they make foolish mistakes and die. There is no shame in being strong, and no shame in acknowledging your strength, but when fools become strong, that is when there is a danger." And then he looked at her with glimmering liquid gold eyes. "Besides, what good is being strong when you have no one to protect with your strength?"

The hime sighed heavily, the air billowing through her nostrils and then she looked up to the moon, which hung low. The night was late; perhaps the middle of the early morning. "You should accompany back to my chambers, my lord; I grow weary and it's very late."

InuTaisho bowed. "As you wish my lady," he hummed and offered his armour-clad lower arm to Izayoi, who took it in her small hands. Slowly he accompanied the hime through the dense forestry and luckily, encountered no demons. The even the small amount of youki the daiyoukai had exerted in killing the forest serpent would have made the lesser demons which occupied the forest run with their tails between their legs. InuTaisho cleared his throat. "Izayoi… I must tell you something…"

"What's that?"

"This will be the last time we can converse for a while."

"Why's that?" shouted Izayoi, perhaps a little more louder than she had anticipated. InuTaisho chuckled at the rather disappointed look that flitted across her lovely face for the moment.

"Disappointed?" he teased as they walked out of the forestry. Up ahead, over a few rolling hills and shallow gullies, the manor sat in darkness, only one torch burning from the watchtower. "There are some disturbances on the northern end of the border I must attend to. I'm afraid I won't be back in these lands for around a week…"

"You're coming back?" Izayoi frowned. "W-why? What's here for you?"

InuTaisho shrugged. "The air is sweet, the Sakura blooms, the company is wonderful…"

The moonlight didn't show the scarlet tinge of Izayoi's cheekbones, and she was glad it hadn't. "You'll come back just to speak with me more?"

"I intend to… you'll speak to me, should I return?"

Izayoi nodded once, and they were now at the gate of the manor. Swiftly, so swiftly that Izayoi didn't have time to prepare herself, InuTaisho whisked her over the manor wooden walls and on the porch to her private chambers. The futon, of which she was about to sleep on before his arrival was folded back and ready.

"If you wish for my company after your travels," Izayoi whispered softly, stepping under the patio and against the shoji doors. "Then you have it, my lord. Is your journey a dangerous one?"

"Perhaps," he hummed. "There are rebels terrorising villages in the north, I have to go up there and protect the people that reside on the lands I keep. You understand, don't you?"

"Of course I understand," hummed Izayoi. "You are a lord – you must protect what is yours."

InuTaisho smiled slightly in the moonlight. "I hope you're safe between our partings, Izayoi – stay safe for me."

"I will, my lord."

And with that, in a blink of an eye and a gust of strong wind, the lord of the Western Lands, InuTaisho was gone and Izayoi was left stunned, and if she only admitted it to herself, a little bashful under the awnings of her patio. With a soft sigh and a small hand touching her fluttering heart, she opened the shoji doors to her chambers and continued getting ready to sleep.

* * *

><p>Thank you to those who reviewed the previous chapter,<p>

** Lightning Streak, EchoGirl319, Say0mi Saki, ****kate** and **The-Aquamarine-Amulet**.

Your support means a lot, so thank you.  
>I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I try to update often enough so you'll have to bear with me as, we all do, have lives outside. Cheers.<p>

Next time,** Part IV: **Izayoi ponders over her attachments with InuTaisho while the Lord is away...

If you liked this, please don't hesitate to tell me when you hit '**review**'!

See you next time,

**Arlia'Devi**.


	4. Part 4: Moon Flowers

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, all rights go to Rumiko Takahashi and associates. I make no money from this.

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

**Part IV: Moon Flowers**

The days passed slowly, Izayoi busied herself and didn't permit her thoughts to wander to the great dog general defending his boarders north of the country. But they did, he crept up on her when she didn't expect it and Izayoi found that she didn't mind thinking about InuTaisho, and realised she did indeed think of him fondly. He was so different from any other demon she'd ever met, not that she'd met many demons, of course, but still…

There was something about him. Demons were monsters who desired the taste of blood; they had no sense of right or wrong. Some said a hanyou possessed both the strength of a demon and the compassion of a human, and yet, Izayoi was sure InuTaisho was a full demon; there were no markings of he being a hanyou and the purple stripes that darted across his cheeks made his heritage all too easy to notice.

The old Lord, Izayoi's father had grown calm that the lingering demon lord had passed through since a sighting had not been noted of InuTaisho for over a week. Indeed, though he had said he would return, Izayoi didn't hold much truth in his words. InuTaisho said he was a man of integrity, a man of promise, but truly, how could Izayoi expect to spark his interests? She was a mere human, a princess, true, but still a human.

Deciding to think little more of it, Izayoi yawned and retired to bed, biding goodnight to her nurses and father.

The next morning, there was still no sign of either the Lord's son, Takemaru, or the great dog general. Izayoi was happy for both; it was nice and peaceful in the gardens and for a while she sat and watched some nurses' children playing in the gardens. Later, she told them a story, a story about the star lover gods from a springtime festival just passed. The day passed on leisurely and word was received from Takemaru, he was a mere week and three days from the castle.

Izayoi sighed as the sun dipped under the horizon. The sky was beautiful hues of red and yellow, and after a quick dinner, hitched up her robes and donning some sandals, went to the private gardens of her quarters to watch the sunset in tranquillity.

Tranquillity, however, was not what Izayoi received.

"… My lady," a rough voice broke out from under a shading magnolia tree. Izayoi squinted and strained her eyes into the shadowy underbrush. Faintly, there was a shadow.

"Leave," she commanded with a voice that wasn't at all very commanding. "I-I'll call the guards, leave this place!"

"My lady," the voice repeated and then groaned heavily. There was a rustle in the underbrush and a labouring groan as the figure fell upon one knee. "It is I, the Lord of the Lands of the West, have you forgotten me?"

"… My lord?" Izayoi frowned and leapt up from her position on the stone chair. "InuTaisho."

"I am wounded, Izayoi," gritted out the dog demon as the hime carefully made her way through the plants into where the branches of the magnolia tree shadows the corner. "Not mortally so, but still wounded."

"W-where?" Izayoi asked, taking his bleeding forearm into her hands. "Here? Your arm, my Lord?" InuTaisho's arm had been treated with herbs and a small piece of soaked cloth had been wrapped tightly around it to stop the bleeding. "Are you in pain?"

"No, Izayoi," he replied and fell to rest, his back supported by the winding magnolia tree. "I'll be fine, I just need to rest."

"These are my private gardens," she replied. "Rest here, no one will find you. Would you like some food? Water?"

"I don't eat human food," gritted InuTaisho as he shifted to get comfortable. He uncrossed his legs, stretching them and pulling the fabric of his hakama tight. "But thank you for your kindles, my lovely Izayoi. Water would be nice – could you fetch some for me?"

Izayoi nodded and touched the weeping arm. "I will get some fresh dressing my lord, please let me redress it."

InuTaisho grumbled a little, but nodded. The sunset was rapidly departing, taking all light with it. In the last small amount of light leaving, Izayoi threw away the soiled shredded garment drenched in the demon dog's blood and replaced in with a fresh bandage. The wound wasn't bad and Izayoi was amazed at how quickly it had healed; InuTaisho said he had gotten it from a sword, a deep slice against the outside of his arm. InuTaisho drank from the ceramic pitcher of sweet water and rested a little more.

"Did everything go alright?" Izayoi asked shallowly as the magnolia tree became bathed in shimmering moonlight.

InuTaisho offered a grim smile. "Would I be here if it had not?"

"I did not think you would come back."

"You either wound my strength as the Lord of the Western Lands or my integrity as a man, my dear Izayoi," laughed InuTaisho a little laboured. "I told you I would return if the battlefield was not my deathbed…" his topaz eyes sparkled in the filtered moonlight. "Are you glad I returned?"

Izayoi dipped her head and murmured a little. When InuTaisho grinned smugly and egged on an answer, she replied, "Well, I would have been sad to have heard you died, my lord, put it that way."

"Were you worried for me?"

"I knew you could take care of yourself."

"I'm glad you speak to me now, instead of those snooty remarks you so gave me disrespect when we met; have you come to know me now?" he laughed softly. "I should have killed you for your disrespect, but why waste such a beauty like yourself?"

Izayoi laughed. "You think I'm beautiful, hm?"

InuTaisho smiled, "Very. As beautiful any princess I've seen in all the lands, and I have been in _many_ lands, my dear."

"You're not trying to woo me, are you my lord?"

"Why, no never," laughed InuTaisho. "You asked me a question, and I don't want to lie to you…"

Izayoi laughed softly. "No, you won't, will you?" then she sighed. "Well, my lord, will you be alright? I'll retire if you don't wish to speak with me any longer?"

"Rest, Izayoi," replied InuTaisho. "I must as well, so I bid you goodnight. You will be sleeping in those shoji doors over there?"

Izayoi nodded and InuTaisho said with a smile, "I'll look out for any intruders into your secret garden. Sleep well, my lady."

* * *

><p>Izayoi slept peacefully for the night and in the morning, ate a large breakfast with her father. The old lord discussed this Takemaru; of whom it was evident he was growing fonder of each day. The young lord from far away was still a decent distance from their castle, however. After finishing breakfast and having her hair done by nurses, Izayoi made her way out into the garden by mid-afternoon. It was a gloriously sunny spring day.<p>

The demon lord had disappeared by the morning, the space under her trees in the secret garden very much once-inhabited, but now empty. All that was left was a small circle of flattened vegetation debris where he had lied.. InuTaisho had left, but something told Izayoi he wouldn't be too far away.

And she was right. Izayoi took a walk down to the delta of the meandering creek which ran through the lands. The sand crunched lightly against her sandals and a few fish darted under the shimmering blue-reflective surface of the stream. In a small, deep pooling inlet was InuTaisho bathing in the cover of water reeds and a shading tree. He had sunk low, to the chin, emersed in the water and with his bare arms resting either side on the muddy banks.

"Izayoi!" he called and waved casually. The hime turned her head to the side in mortification.

"My lord!" she replied. "Get dressed!"

"And ruin my robes by bathing in them?" asked the general incredulously. "Of course not!" He laughed then, barking out fits of elegant well natured laughter. "Why, do you bathe in your robes, my lady?"

"I'm not answering such a rude question!"

InuTaisho laughed again before swivelling his finger. "Turn around then, and I'll make myself decent."

Izayoi did as she was told, her cheeks still flaming. She'd seen more than she had liked to admit, and the water wasn't all that murky. The slight rustlings of clothes from behind her told Izayoi Inutaisho was pulling on all of his robes. He called out that it was safe to turn around when he was in his basic white robes. The armours and weapons he wore were still unfastened but lie in easy reach by his relaxing form. InuTaisho's hair dried in the sun as he lied in the field. Izayoi looked at the three swords resting an arm's reach away from their master.

"Three swords?" she asked curiously, eyeing each weapon. Each sword was so different from the other. She wondered what he could possibly use them all for.

A small smile touched InuTaisho's lips. "Hmm, three swords. One is the sword of heaven, Tenseiga this," he touched the sword to the left, "the sword of earth," his hands ran to the middle, "The Testusaiga, and finally, the sword of the underworld, So'unga. It is very important you never touch this sword in particular, Izayoi – it would most certainly kill you if you even touched the hilt."

Subconsciously, Izayoi took a step back. "Why do you possess such a dangerous weapon, then?"

"No one else can subdue it like I can," he replied solemnly. "It has enormous malicious demonic power; and before I die, I am going to seal it away. It should never have been forged, but until then, I am the protector of this sword, so no harm should befall others."

To Izayoi, a sword was a long piece of metal, and you stuck the pointy end into people. She had no idea of the power of these demon weapons, how they could summon immense strength. True, they were much more than pointed metal, but had the swords been unsheathed, Izayoi would have realised that they were indeed not metal, but bore of a fang. InuTaisho's fang.

Sighing, she knelt by the demon lord, who appreciated the sentiment by smiling. She was keenly aware of how his broad shoulders were not carrying armour, and that the robes he wore allowed his body to be comforted by the soft, cool, spring breeze. The white fabric danced in the wind where InuTaisho had not tightened a fabric belt. His other clothes; a deep purple and silver ornamental _obi_, a red haori Izayoi had never seen before, and his socks and boots lie by the tree's trunk.

"How are your injuries, my lord?" Izayoi said, keenly examining his arm with only her eyes.

"I'm as good as new," replied InuTaisho and slipped his robe off his shoulder to show Izayoi his healed arm, as if there had never been any injuries there in the first place.

"Oh my," she smiled. "That is spectacular. You have healed well."

"There are some perks to being a demon then," he chuckled and then his topaz eyes regarded Izayoi seriously. "I know you are forbidden to be seeing me, Izayoi, I am not such a fool, but I appreciate that you do come and keep me company."

Izayoi smiled half-heartedly, as if she was trying to mask the truth. "H-how did you know?"

InuTaisho offered quite a sad smile. "A beautiful princess like yourself, your father would want you to associate with young lords and princes."

"But you are a lord, my lord," interrupted Izayoi.

"A demon lord," he said. "Your father would want you to… well, he wouldn't want me to…"

Izayoi laughed softly and it seemed to ease the demon's worried tone. "My Lord, with all respect, I think I know what you're saying, and it is true… but if I was truly worried about it, I would have stopped seeing you many, many days ago. Do you care if I am human?"

He frowned and didn't know what that had anything to do with their discussion. "No, but I-,"

"Then why should I care that you are a demon?" she replied. "True, you may be able to kill me in a second, but I trust you not too. You may be able to destroy my whole village, but I trust you not to. Does that make sense?"

InuTaisho nodded slowly. "It does. I am glad you finally trust me. Why such a change, if I may ask?"

Izyaoi gave a little shrug. "I decided that… well, if you wanted to kill me, you would have done it a long time ago."

InuTaisho laughed well naturedly. "I suppose it is sound logic," he chuckled.

"My lord?"

"Yes Izayoi?"

"You said before that you appreciate my company. Do you really mean that?" she rested her back against the tree trunk.

For once, InuTaisho looked a little confused, a little shy, as if he didn't really want to answer the question. His eyes studied the blades of grass beside him, the folds of his white robes against his knees and then the leaves above his head and how the sun and sky streamed through the looming tree. Eventually, he did reply, and it was simply. "Yes."

Izayoi smiled. "I enjoy spending time with you, also, my Lord. I will admit I didn't think you would return even though you promised otherwise… I'm sorry I didn't believe your word."

A small smile graced his features, and a small amount of fang peeked out over the demon lord's lip. Izayoi watched contentedly as his hair dried in the wind, the silver strands blowing around his shoulders. InuTaisho grunted and moved to adjust his swords a little closer, but made no move to leave. Izayoi sighed and relished the care-free atmosphere with her and this man. Eventually, she was beginning to see him as such. He wasn't a human, and he wasn't a demon in her eyes: he was just a man; a man who needed company; a man who needed someone to talk to and someone to listen.

A lonely man.

* * *

><p>My thanks to the awesome reviewers who reviewed this last chapter. I have had a little trouble churning this chapter out, so I do apologise. I had a little writer's block and just couldn't find the right inspirationwords to get this done.

Hopefully it all worked out though, and you enjoyed this chapter.

The great reviewers of last chapter were:

**grace days three****, ****squirtlepokemon215****, ****ProlongedDemoness****, ****fish, Darmaine,** and **The-Aquamarine-Amulet****,**

So, thank you! And I hope to hear from you all again. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

~ **Arlia'Devi**


	5. Part 5: A Letter from the Silver Prince

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha; all rights go to Rumiko Takahashi and associates. I make no money from this.

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

**Part V: A Letter from the Silver Prince**

After the afternoon with the demon lord, Izayoi walked back to her quarters, knowing she was under the watchful eye of said InuTaisho, even though he wasn't in plain sight. Izayoi had to admit, she was getting fonder of the demon who she'd just discovered as a man underneath a hard exterior. She hadn't seen it before, her prejudices clouding her judgement as he being a cold-blooded killer of demon and human alike. True, he was, but it was never in cold blood. The lord was an honourable samurai, he had land to protect and people to serve. And, like men, InuTaisho had needs and wants, and desires, he desired company, someone to talk to and for someone to listen when he spoke. True, InuTaisho was a powerful demon who wielded an evil, demonic sword, but he could have killed her long ago if he wished, the Lord knew that he had ample opportunity and strength to kidnap her. But he hadn't, and call it a sixth sense, but Izayoi knew she was rather safe with InuTaisho. Maybe it had just been the way he'd decapitated that serpent a few weeks ago in the forest that made her think that. Whatever it was, Izayoi wasn't arguing.

… And the lord was rather handsome, she had to admit. The way his white robes clung to his body after bathing, a little translucent from the watery residue left on his body. His silver hair that contrasted with his topaz eyes but complimented his pale skin… Izayoi groaned. What was he doing to her?

Sighing, she wandered into her family home. Her father was entertaining with some dancers and his old friends from the village which he did quite often. They were harmless really, and the village nearby had some very beautiful geisha's. The old men enjoyed gathering together now, in their old age, rather regularly, drinking sake, smoking pipes and chatting with each other, not really paying attention to the dancing geishas.

"My lady," a nurse approached Izayoi with a gentle smile. "We haven't seen you all day! Where have you been?"

"Oh here and there," she replied with a rather light smile. Her nurse caught Izayoi's carefree attitude and eyed her suspiciously.

"Is something the matter, Izayoi?" she asked. "Why are you smiling like that?"

"Oh nothing," she batted it off. "… I just, well, I got a letter today."

The nurse frowned and Izayoi walked off. Biting her lip, the nurse went to the old Lord's quarters. He was currently entertained, so she waited until the geisha's grew tired and left, received their payment from the amount of incensed burnt in their holders, and the old men retired to the guest quarters of their castle. When everyone had left and the old Lord was getting ready to sleep, the nurse slipped into his quarters.

"My Lord," she whispered softly.

"Ikana?" frowned the old Lord. "What is the matter?"

"Your daughter sir," said Ikana and lit a small lamp to burn by a bedside. "I spoke to her today, she seemed very carefree."

"That's good is it not?"

"Well," Ikana said. "She said she had received a letter or note today. Do you think it was from Takemaru? Perhaps they are sending letters in secret to each other?"

The old Lord cracked a smile. "If it is from Takemaru, or any other Lord in the area, I do not care! Ha, and here I was thinking my stubborn daughter would never get married. This is wonderful, Ikana, but," warned the old Lord, "keep it quiet. Pretend you don't know and ignore it; we do not want to scare her off by speaking about it to her." Ikana nodded. The old Lord clapped his hands. "But oh! This is wonderful! I will have to keep my eye on her more often!"

Ikana nodded, smiled and then wished the old Lord a good night sleep.

* * *

><p>Izayoi awoke at sunrise, which was strange. She never woke up that early and decided to simply stay in bed until she heard some of the nurses walking around the quarters. Izayoi got up, bathed in the deep baths and then got dressed. The nurse Ikana suggested that perhaps today she wore a little bit of lip colour and kohl around her eyes. Izayoi was a little hesitant, and she really didn't know why Ikana was suggesting it, but allowed the nurse to use some soft coral lip balm from her shell and dabbed it on Izayoi lips. She rubbed her lips together to spread the balm but then rejected the offer to gloss her eyes with kohl liner, or to adorn her cheeks with a pressed blusher and a kabuki brush. Another nurse tied her obi with a fastened knot at the small of her back.<p>

"What do you have planned today, princess, if you don't mind me asking?" asked Ikana.

"Nothing of particular interest," replied Izayoi. "Perhaps I will walk into the village and talk to the children. I have not decided."

"Well," said Ikana, taking leave from the princess' room and bowing lowly. "Have a pleasurable day, my lady."

Izayoi nodded and watched her nurses leave. Loitering around the premises of the castle for a while, before she slipped through the front gates and wandered toward the village. The children were in school, as they always were, and Izayoi was a princess, not a teacher like the priestesses of the villages. And true, InuTaisho would stay far away from the village priestesses as they would be able to sense him around, and notify the chief, who would in turn, notify the Lord of a demonic aura around. Because of this, Izayoi walked into the centre of the village, waving to people and chatting idly for perhaps an hour before turning left down a closed restaurant, out through an alleyway, then leaving the village out on the Eastern side and dipping into a foliage lining the forest.

Had anyone noticed Izayoi set out for the forest, they would have thought her mad. A hime travelling in unarmed and unaccompanied into a dangerous youkai-ridden forest was practically suicide, but no one saw, no one noticed her slip down ever so quietly. Izayoi, however, was not scared to be wandering the forest alone. There were many demons around, probably many were watching her at that moment – but their eyes were concealed within the forest; and then, there was one demon she knew was watching her, the daiyoukai, the Lord of the Western Lands.

He sat in a sunlight-filtered clearing, on a smooth stone and was reading over a scroll, as if she had disturbed him from a relaxing sunbathe rather than he be waiting for her. He smelt her before he saw her, but when he heard Izayoi's sandals crunch and her body come into view, he flicked up his honey gaze and smiled. "Izayoi,' he almost purred.

"My lord," she smiled and rounded his side, kneeling on the grass opposite him. "What are you reading there?"

"Nothing of interest," he shrugged and sighed. "Just a letter from my son."

His son? Izayoi couldn't help but be intrigued. She knew InuTaisho had been married previously, and that wife had bore him a son, but that was the extent of her knowledge. Not that it was her place to snoop like that, but it couldn't be helped if she was curious. Like the demon was curious of her life, she was, in turn, curious of his. "Your son? What is his name?"

A small smile danced across InuTaisho's features. "Sesshomaru."

That was a strange name, Izayoi thought and InuTaisho continued. "He was the only child my wife bored me, and he's probably about five hundred years old. He's a typical adolescent."

She imagined his son to look a lot like InuTaisho, and then found herself wondering what his wife looked like. She imagined this wife in contrast of herself, the demoness with long white hair like her husband, of lean figure and of piercing eyes of a colour she hadn't particularly decided on. "And your wife – what was she like?"

InuTaisho chuckled and leant a little more comfortably on the stone. "She's cold and unmerciful," then he chuckled, "never my ideal wife. The marriage was excruciatingly long and cold, and overall meaningless. I gained the entire south end of my empire and a son, but even he resembles his mother too much for my liking."

"You really hate your wife?" she said.

"She's not my wife. I left the marriage when my son was two-hundred years old. I haven't seen her in just as long." Then he sighed. "If worse ever came to worse, I suppose I could be _civil_, if I really wanted to."

Izayoi laughed at how cheeky the demon was. She sighed and smoothed over her kimono. It was a beautiful day and the light shone off his moonlight hair. Her hair, in turn, fanned out over her shoulders and the ends just brushed the tips of the grass she sat on. Once, InuTaisho had said that too her, his eyes finding such awe in her beautiful hair. But now, he smiled at her delicately, rolling the letter from his son to the side.

"So, my beautiful princess, what do you wish to converse about today?"

"I don't have a topic in mind."

"Well, will we be contented to sit in silence then?"

Izayoi laughed. "That wouldn't be very productive, would it? ... Well, do you anticipate to be leaving anytime soon? No battles to face? No rebellions to quash."

"No."

His quick answer put her off; and there was in hopes of starting up a conversation. In the two and a half weeks of meeting, they must have lost things to talk about – but how was that possible?

"When do you anticipate the human lord arriving?" InuTaisho asked suddenly, making Izayoi look up from the grass she was pulling up with her fingernails.

"Hmm?"

"The human lord," repeated the demon lord with a little snap. "When will he be arriving?"

"Oh... perhaps at the end of the week, or next."

His lips pursed slightly and InuTaisho said. "And he comes to seek your hand?"

Izayoi nodded.

"And he comes to claim your heart?"

"Attempt to."

"Will you give it to him?"

Izayoi moved her mouth for a moment, but no voice came out. There were no words for that question. Eventually, she managed to stutter, "My father is getting old…-,"

"And so you will settle for this Lord then?" he replied with a quip and Izayoi saw the sudden flash of aggravation across his topaz eyes.

"It's my duty," she replied. "A duty to my father and this village, InuTaisho, you must understand. I don't want to, but I must."

InuTaisho understood. He understood very well, and if what Izayoi was saying was the truth, and he did not doubt it was so, then she would make the human a good, honourable wife. "You must realise then," he said softly, "That when you do marry this Lord, our interactions will cease."

Izayoi sighed then. "And I do so enjoy conversing with you, InuTaisho."

"As do I," his aggravation was dissipating slowly. "But you are a dutiful woman – a quality any man will appreciate in a wife. You're very honourable, an honourable trait in itself." Izayoi was beginning to get a little sheepish of his compliments.

"I do hope this Takemaru is not such a dull-witted fool," she sighed and then laughed a little. "I don't suppose you have heard of him, my Lord? Lord Takemaru?"

The demon Lord shook his head. "No, my Lady, I rarely fight human armies – it's unfair and they hardly challenge me for the land I possess. I haven't heard of this Takemaru, which means of two things: either he is very smart not to oppose me in battle, or he is a fool of a general."

Izayoi laughed rather loudly and the old daiyoukai smiled lazily. How he enjoyed meeting the young princess on these days; though numbered they were. He would certainly miss them when she married this bachelor on his way. Perhaps he could organise a certain "delay" for the human lord among his armies, but realised that would be selfish and not at all far to the woman waiting for his arrival. Izayoi was honourable – she would put her happiness behind the intentions for the village, she would do whatever it took to make sure her father's legacy was withheld and for that, InuTaisho respected her.

"I understand how you feel for your father," he said softly and Izayoi turned her head up to look at him. "I am the same, I suppose – my father was a great dog demon of a small area in the Western Lands – even greater than I. He had the urge to expand his empire; all the strategies and plans mapped out. He died before he could achieve this. I stepped in as his only son. I only hope one day my son will inherit from me, like I did from his grandfather, but Sesshomaru is selfish. _Honourable_, but selfish and cruel."

Izayoi smiled. "Surely, he cannot be all that bad… I'm sure he will fill you, erm, boots rather well."

InuTaisho laughed and his foot moved within those white boots he always sported. "We'll see about that," he chuckled. "I still have quite a lot of guts still left in me, Izayoi, please do not worry yourself for me."

Izayoi didn't doubt the truth in his words. Eyeing the three swords that were not strapped to his side, but instead, resting along the outside of his left thigh, knee and down to the calf, she found it strange again he should need three swords. "My Lord," she said and InuTaisho looked up at her speaking his title.

"Yes?"

"Why _three_ swords?"

"Have I not explained this previously, Izayoi?" he chuckled, wondering if she had a sort of short term memory.

"Well, _yes_ you have, but I was wondering, which is the sword you use the most?"

He looked at the trinity of weapons to the side and replied, "So'unga, of course. It contains the most power – well, power translated once overcomed."

"And the others?"

"I rarely use."

"Why do you possess them? You cannot store them away. Surely it must be heavy carrying around three swords."

InuTaisho grinned. "I was tricked into it, really."

"Tricked?" Izayoi's mouth curled up into a grin.

"Yes," sighed the daiyoukai. "I was asked by a swordsmith by the name of Totosai to subdue and seal So'unga. He ended up stealing both of my fangs and casting a sword out of both of them," he ran his hand over Tenseiga and Testusaiga, feeling the leather of the sheaths under his calloused claws. "He said I was to keep them on me; to understand what they did, and I do, and a few months ago I went back to dearest Totosai and I said to him, 'Totosai, I understand the swords, now what am I supposed to do with the blasted things?', and to my frustration the old senile told me that I would know what to do with them when the time came."

Izayoi suppressed a laugh when it came across that InuTaisho was very much unsatisfied with the answer from the swordsmith. "Very vague."

"Indeed," gritted out InuTaisho. "It is strange though; though a sword, the Tenseiga does nothing but heal, where as the Testusaiga has enough power to slay thousands of demons in a single stroke. Very interesting that he would make such contrasting swords. I am yet to figure out anything that goes on in his rattling mind."

"Now now, InuTaisho, he may well be a very intelligent man."

InuTaisho grunted in reply. "Well see." The hime giggled a little.

After a while of not speaking, InuTaisho stretched and yawned very loudly, and Izayoi got a glimpse of those pearly fangs that sometimes peeked over his lips. Long, sharp and white, they were very impressive indeed. "I will be saddened when I cannot see you any longer," she whispered softly, though his ears caught the sound easily.

"As will I. I enjoyed your presence – I rarely have humans around; they either run in fear or they die," he chuckled softly when Izayoi shot him a gaze and knew he was teasing her. Then, InuTaisho's head craned up to the sky, analysing the position of the sun. "We have been sitting here for many hours, your father may be worried about you; my Lady. I certainly do not want suspicions of my lingering around; that only makes it harder to sneak around. You should go. We will meet again tomorrow."

Izayoi nodded, not arguing with InuTaisho's logic. Rising to her feet, she smiled politely at him and said, "Until tomorrow, my lord."

"Until tomorrow, my beautiful Izayoi," he said softly, though remained where he sat. The scroll from his son was tucked on the other side of his thigh. The princess smiled at the compliment and wandered into the shadows of the forest, and for a while, he kept a careful eye, emitting a low warning growl to any demon foolish enough to attack the hime until she got safetly to her village.

Sighing, InuTaisho fell to the warm grass, his face bathed in the light of the sun. Closing his eyes, he groaned loudly and the scroll fell and unwound itself on the ground, showing Sesshomaru's fluid kanji – writing that his father had taught him when he was a young pup. It had been five-hundred years since he had held his son as an infant pup, so young and needy and inexperienced in the world. Twice he had almost died as a lack of understanding, thinking a poisonous leave may be good for eating, or a cave a good place for exploring. Now he was an adolescent and thought he knew as much, if not more, than his father, and had become rather disconnected to his mother (though no one could blame the boy for that, she was an absolute wretch). Perhaps Izayoi would be right; given a few more centuries the adolescent would grow into a man, and then take on the responsibility as the new Lord of the Western Lands. Sesshomaru always strived for personal gain and power, innumerable strength and the fear of others. That was all well and good, but he shouldn't let his selfishness cloud his vision of what was important. InuTaisho sighed – he would have to man the fort alone, per se, until he was sure his son was well enough to become his heir.

Izayoi's delictable scent flowed back into his nostrils and instantly he felt the muscles in his legs and torso tingle with contentment. She smelt of jasmine and other sweet flowers, and then of linen, perhaps of her futon and the scents they used to prepare her clothes and sheets. Izayoi had a lovely scent and sometimes, he would just lull out in the large trees of the private garden she kept, hidden from view and just smelling her scent. He would anticipate it to change soon; she was a young woman and her body would regulate through her cycle. There would be a point where she would be screaming to be touched, and that thought had crossed his mind quite a bit recently.

Izayoi was beautiful, as beautiful a princess as he had ever seen, demoness or human. Her eyes were rich, like the bark of a tree, and fertile soil and her hair was the colour of a shining, stunning midnight – the kind of night one only saw once in a while. Her clothes were always meticulous and her skin was porcelain and flawless. Sometimes he wondered how soft it was, and then, if it was still the same colour and the same smoothness under her robes. Then he realised he should be feeling shameful for such lusting thoughts, and then wondered why he should feel he should feel shameful: he was a demon, his warrant for hell was already signed.

Inu-youkai did not kiss, and yet, he wondered what it would be like to press his lips against hers; knowing it to be a sacred act in the human sense. What a strange idea to have.

Sighing, InuTaisho reached back for the letter written by his son. Unrolling it, he read over it once more,

_Father,_

_I am in the Southern part of your empire, and I have been hearing some disturbing ideas floating around. I hope they are not true._

_Firstly, that you have not been seen publicly in the major cities in over a month. You have not attended trials, nor attended meetings or spoke with the generals._

_Secondly, that you reside outside your empire walls and have no intention on adding such place to your empire._

_Thirdly, that you smelt of human. Upon your last visit. I can only hope that the soldiers are referring to blood._

_Get back to the capital. This Sesshomaru needs to speak with you now._

_- Sesshomaru._

InuTaisho groaned and threw the scroll to the side. He would not be returning to the capital. He did not attend to his son's needs; not anymore, not since he wasn't a helpless pup. How dare he demand his attention and presence – he was in the right mind to stalk back to the capital, make a show and then leave again, but that would only have more tongues talking. InuTaisho wasn't impressed the soldiers had talked about him smelling of human – he had tried to wash it off, but when you encountered something for long enough, the scents stick harder on skin and clothes.

He would not go back to the capital just because his son _demanded_ it from him.

InuTaisho had other reasons for staying in these parts of the wood, and as he reclined back to have an afternoon snooze, quite aware that he was the strongest thing by far in any of the woods around, he slept rather peacefully in the sun.

* * *

><p><em>What is this feeling?<em> Izayoi frowned as she climbed into bed. She hadn't been able to get the daiyoukai out of her mind all day. It was most peculiar. For Izayoi was only keeping him company, InuTaisho was a lonely man and she was happy to provide a conversation. And then, she realised that when she did indeed get married, those conversations would stop. Even when Takemaru arrived at the manor, she doubted he would allow her to go wandering unaccompanied like her father did. She had perhaps five or so days left with the Lord of the Western Lands and that saddened her immensely.

She would miss him. He was witty and crude and cheeky, but overall a charming gentleman despite his sometimes sarcastic and darkened humour. There was no doubt he was well educated, and he spoke eloquently and met her regularly. InuTaisho protected her, saw her as a friend, a close confider he trusted and she was sure that there weren't many people he truly trusted. He spoke of his empire, of his army and his son, of his fears and worries and his aspirations. Izayoi sunk into her futon and said goodnight to her nurse who left the candle burning by Izayoi's request.

Sometimes she thought she felt him staring down at her as she walked through her private gardens at sunset, the time when it was the most beautiful. The sun danced off every petal, every leave and twig and the wings of fluttering butterflies. She smiled and looked around but knew, if he truly was somewhere around, watching her, she'd never be able to find him.

Izayoi smiled and stepped out of bed, taking up the melting candle and nudging open her shoji door to her private gardens. Slipping on her sandals, she slowly walked around the paths, until the stone seat, of which she sat on delicately. Flicking her eyes up into a looming tree, he hadn't made it hard for her to see the rolling piece of white fabric from the branches. Then, she called his name sweetly, like a lover, and he slipped down the branches, and then the trunk until he stood in front of her, moonlight dancing off his features. This man was truly a beast of the night.

_What is this strange feeling?_

When he said her name, his full lips bathed in moonlight and a claw moving to touch a single strand of her hair, a shiver ran down her spine. When she said his name in reply, it was a bare whisper. His eyes were on fire.

"I want you."

She smiled, a kind of coy, playful smile she realised was not really what she normally did. The daiyoukai's look was purely ravenous. Words came tumbling out of her mouth before she could stop them. "Then have me."

* * *

><p>Thanks to all those who reviewed the last chapter!<p>

**Mandamoonrose****, ****ChimamareNoTsuki, ****DreamOrNightmare****, ****ProlongedDemoness****, ****The-Aquamarine-Amulet****, ****Yasnactic****,****grace days three**, and **kate**.

Thank you, all of you and I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please **review**!

**~ Arlia'Devi**


	6. Part 6: My Luminescent Darling

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, all rights go to Rumiko Takahashi and associates. I make no money from this.

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

**Part VI: My Luminescent Darling**

Izayoi awoke from her sleep in a cold sweat, gasping as she lurched up to a sitting position in her bed. Panting, she recalled the dream in too much detail than she preferred and realised that her body was not only just slick from sweat. Groaning, and feeling more like a bath than ever, she looked to the shoji doors – it was still the dead of night. The candle had burnt out.

Sighing, Izayoi fell back onto the futon, her robes unfastened and splaying out everywhere – they revealed some flesh, but she was not worried, the hime was alone in her quarters. For a moment, she thought of fixing the throbbing within her thighs, the need she felt but didn't. How strange a dream like that to evoke such strong reaction from her? It had felt so real; the heat of his breath, of his mouth, of his hands when he touched her like no other man had ever. Izayoi knew he had been gentle with her, perhaps more gentle in the dream than he would be in reality. He'd slipped the robes off her shoulders and taken her to a place where flowers bloomed in the dead of night, and their petals were translucent and delicate like onion skin. She'd tried to touch one, her hair splayed out on the grass that felt like tiny feathers, but the flower had died upon her fingers. She felt bad, but his hand had turned her face back to him and his smouldering eyes. He had said to her, "We will make love now," and she was so amazed when everything he did, love poured out of him. It made her feel special, like this wasn't mindless, or that he didn't care for her; she wasn't a whore – she was his lover, and for a while, as he paid homage to her body, Izayoi wondered if being the demon lord's lover was a bad thing.

She'd woken up before they'd completed what they'd intended to do, which was to Izayoi's self admitted frustration. InuTaisho's clothes had fallen off him like silk, pooling by his knees. "My beautiful love," he'd whispered against the shell of her ear before running his hot tongue down her lobe and jaw. She had wanted to ask him if he really did love her, but nothing but small whimpers escaped her mouth.

"Do you want me more than Takemaru, my lady?"

That was when she'd woken up, and left him without an answer. That was a foolish thought, though, it had all been a dream. She had not met him in the secret garden, and then he had not taken her away; it was a figment of her imagination. Izayoi brushed her hair, not really knowing what else to do. Eventually, she drifted back to sleep.

When the morning filtered through the shoji door, Izayoi went for her bath and her nurses came to dress her a little while later.

"Which gown would you like to wear today, my lady?" Ikana asked softly.

Izayoi smiled and pointed to a stunning emerald and azure kimono, depicting a group of small kingfisher birds drinking and frolicking around a pond. Their colours were bright and bold and the gown looked incredible made up. Ikana finished tying the obi and Izayoi stepped away from her nurse. "What do you have planned for today, my lady?" asked Ikana, rearranging her own kimono; a pale colour with small blossoms dotted over the collar and bottom hemming.

"I cannot go into the village in such expensive kimono, can I?" smiled Izayoi.

"No, I suppose not."

"Perhaps I will sit in the garden for a while. I may read. It's a lovely day."

"As you wish," bowed Ikana. "The Lord Takemaru is expected in not a few days time, my lady."

"Is he?"

"Yes, my lady."

"Well," replied Izayoi with a gentle smile. "I do look forward to meeting him. I hope his trek has not been too tiring for him."

"Of course my lady. Goodbye then, I wish you a pleasant day."

Izayoi allowed her nurse to leave. "Goodbye, Ikana."

True, it was a beautiful day and Izayoi wandered out into her private gardens. The looming tree branches reminded her distinctly of her dream, though thankfully there was no cascading piece of white fabric from the branches. She did not call his name, either, but merely found a scroll to read and sat on the bench, taking an apple from an apple tree and eating it. No one walked through Izayoi's gardens; they were her private place. Small, yet accommodating and she did not need much anyway. The Chinese roses always smelt beautiful, the expensive plants her father had shipped over from the mainland, as well as a blossoming native, a few small shrubs and a maple of some kind providing some shade.

No one was supposed to enter her private gardens, but he did. All the time in fact, and he was pretty sure she knew it, too. InuTaisho enjoyed watching her; she had the grace of a beautiful demoness and the wit of one too. Sometimes he wondered if she really was human, but only a human would be created so beautiful. Beauty like that wasn't meant to last; it made an impact, it was remembered and thought of fondly and then it would fade away.

He smoothly descended from his place in the tree and she was not startled to see him standing before her. Instead, Izayoi merely smiled at him and shuffled over on the stone seat to accommodate him. InuTaisho took the seat beside the princess without a word. He was wondering if he should tell her he'd seen Takemaru's troops, and that he would probably arrive by that night. He decided not to.

"What are you reading?" his eyes scanned over the scroll. It was an old folklore story; nothing of particular interest.

"Nothing really," she smiled. "Just enjoying the sun and the smell of the flowers."

"I never really liked human gardens," he muttered. "I prefer forest gardens were the flowers grow naturally. Humans seem to crowd flowers together. It makes the scents overbearing."

Izayoi smiled; she knew he had such a heightened sense of smell. "And mine?"

"Subtle – beautifully so."

She smiled, not sure if he really meant what he was saying or if he was trying to be polite. "Thank you, InuTaisho."

And then, he decided she should know. "Lord Takemaru will arrive at the manor by nightfall. I saw his army marching not too far from the village this morning."

Izayoi bit her lip. But Ikana had said…. And yet, who was she to doubt the word of InuTaisho? "I had not thought so soon, my Lord! You're truthful in what you say?"

"InuTaisho does not lie," he almost laughed, wondering how so she did not know this of him by now.

"What does this Takemaru look like?" she asked.

"Tall," he shrugged, feeling more than a little awkward. "Black hair. Samurai outfit – maroon. He didn't bring much of a following… Perhaps they died on the trip. Decent face. "

Izayoi laughed. "Thank you InuTaisho, that will suffice."

The demon lord sucked in a sharp breath. "You cannot meet me after he arrives."

"I know."

"This will be our last meeting." Was that sadness tinging his tone.

"Are you sad, InuTaisho?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

He blinked once and then shuffled his hunched shoulders. His claws were intertwined between his legs and he breathed out through his nostrils. "I will not get to converse with you any longer; see your pretty face close up like this. I will not linger around these parts for very long, by son wants me to go back to the empire; he wants me to speak with him about whatever matters he's found."

"And you're going to go?" she asked.

"Eventually," he replied.

Izayoi sighed and then bit her lip. "I'm going to miss you…"

When he turned to her, a little shocked and the words for once, failing the usually affluent demon lord, it reminded her of the dream from last night and she gasped when suddenly his eyes changed from a little shocked, to resemble how they looked in her mind last night. "You tell the truth?" his voice was more of a growl than usual.

"Yes," she stated simply. InuTaisho smiled.

"Then, my lovely, Izayoi," he said affectionately. "I will allow myself to miss you, also."

"If it's such a burden," she laughed softly. "Do not feel obliged."

InuTaisho said nothing and sighed deeply, slumping. Izayoi knew he was accepting that soon, he would be alone again. She could no longer see him when Takemaru arrived, as surprised as she was at the Lord covering so much ground quickly, but did not doubt InuTaisho's word. Smiling, Izayoi moved her tiny hand to cover InuTaisho's. It was a simple gesture and she squeezed his clawed hand.

"Be careful," he whispered as he manoeuvred his own hand to cup hers delicately. She was so soft and small; his hands must feel so rough to her. He didn't want to scratch her accidentally with his claws. "Your hands are so small." Izayoi did not reply. InuTaisho held it for a little longer, before, he had to say, "Do you really want to wed the Lord?"

Izayoi frowned. "My lord… I must."

"I said, do you _want_ to marry the Lord?" he gruffed out.

Izayoi searched his eyes, but they were hard and dark and there was nothing she could guage out. With a shaky whisper, she replied. "No… I don't."

He let Izayoi's hand go and swiftly got to his feet. "Please," Izayoi begged at his retreating figure. "What are you thinking? Tell me."

"I don't know," he replied and that was the truth. He did not lie, ever and especially not to her. "The Lord Takemaru will be here soon. You should get yourself ready; tell your father if he hasn't already gotten word." He was near the wall then, and Izayoi begged him not to go yet; to have a proper goodbye between them. "We will say our departing tonight; meet me here, at midnight…" He would be contented that, as she could not had possibly known on Takemaru's entrance, she had not donned such a beautiful kimono for his arrival. "At midnight."

Izayoi nodded and sighed. "Alright – I will be waiting."

InuTaisho said, "I hope he is a gentle man."

Izayoi nodded but did not reply. InuTaisho leapt over the wall and disappeared.

* * *

><p>The Lord Takemaru arrived at nightfall, just as InuTaisho had predicted and he came after dinner. Izayoi's father jumped up from where he sat upon hearing the news. "What?" he bellowed. He did hate getting surprised, and quickly ordered more food to be prepared for Takemaru's arrival. He also called for Izayoi.<p>

"My lady, I'm sorry," whispered Ikana. "I know you were getting ready for sleep, but you must get dressed." Her nurse grasped the kimono off the hangers hastily and began to strip Izayoi of her clothes. "Lord Takemaru has arrived; he requests your presence immediately."

Izayoi tried to utter her objection, but before she knew it, she had been re-dressed, her hair combed and pinned before she was lead into the tea-drinking rooms where Takemaru was being refreshed. Throught the shoji doors, she saw a silhouette of a broad-shouldered tall man, kneeling with his back to her. Her father smiled as she stepped through the door. He eyes dropped instantly to the young Lord.

Takemaru had the build of a human warrior – his broad shoulders carried his samurai shoulders, a mop of wayward chestnut hair, and as he turned, eyes as shimmering chocolate like her own and a gentle, giving smile. He was handsome in his own sort of way, more handsome and younger than any of the other suitor's her father had gathered - they were usually old and with grey tinging their thinning hair. This Takemaru was young and fresh-faced, though tired and beaten from the trek to Setsuna.

"My Lady," Lord Takemaru bowed lowly. Izayoi offered a low bow in return. Takemaru rose to his feet and took up Izayoi's small hands, pressing his lips to the back of her hand and smiling. "I have travelled months to meet you – my, you are as beautiful as I was told."

"Thank you, my Lord. I hope you are well – please, retire early, you must be tired," she smiled and took back her hands. They were tingling.

"I will, thank you," Takemaru smiled and bowed again, in goodbye both to Izayoi and her father. "I look forward getting to know you more in the morn, my darling."

"As do I," replied Izayoi and then Takemaru took his leave – his tea cup empty and the pot of brewed green tea cold. A nurse attending clearing the table.

"Daughter…," the Old Lord started a hopeful tinge to his voice. "I do not know what you are thinking… I hope you are considering giving this Lord Takemaru a chance – he is a wonderful young man."

Izayoi nodded. "Yes," she murmured. "A wonderful young man." Then, without another word, she turned and retired back to her chambers.

* * *

><p>Izayoi did not bother taking off the kimono, or unpinning her hair. The moon would soon be right over the manor and that would signal the time she would meet the demon lord. Their final goodbye was approaching and her hands trembled at that. The way InuTaisho had looked at her was mesmerizing – his smouldering, gentle eyes, his curvy smile and sweet voice. The wind carried his beautiful silver hair, pinned back and tied with a piece of ribbon. She had never seen in down, but thought it would fan out like hers did. How she longed to see it out in the breeze, wild and tangled like the fierce dog demon lord he was; or slipped in with her own: a mix of moonlight and moonshadow.<p>

But this Takemaru, this gentle, kind _good_ man, he was the man she had longed for, the man she _thought_ had always wanted, the one of her dreams – the husband she had always wanted to have.

So, why didn't she want to be with him?

Instead, Izayoi's heart longed for someone else. Someone she shouldn't long after, and yet she did and it was eating her away inside.

Like a woman possessed, she moved to the shoji door concealing her private gardens, and upon sliding them open, her eyes saw the shadow standing in the garden rigid, his hair like the moonlight, his golden eyes ravenous and wild. What little breath didn't stall or get caught in her throat, she gasped, "InuTaisho."

"Izayoi," he rasped out and she visibly shivered.

Izayoi ran across the patio and down the steps, to where the demon lord stand waiting. She fell into his arms, his strong hands wrapped around her small shoulders as her hands fisted in his robes. "Is Takemaru the husband you would want him to be?" he asked in a ragged whisper.

Izayoi nodded. "He is the husband I want."

She felt InuTaisho hold her tighter and with bitter tears, Izayoi cried, "But he is not the man I want to be with!"

InuTaisho remained silent for a long time and merely held the crying princess. She shivered and was so small and delicate; he couldn't believe their stark differences. Her body was so soft and tiny, she was so innocent – never touched by a man, only just a woman, and she had the most intoxicating scent. After a while of Izayoi simply crying, she sniffed lightly into his robe before he reached down with a claw and lifted her watery eyes to look into his.

"Izayoi…," he said gently, his voice loosing the rasp at the pitch. "I am not a man."

She sniffed. "I know that."

"I could never be your husband."

Izayoi nodded. "I know that, too. We could never get married."

InuTaisho shifted his weight, noticing how uncomfortable he suddenly was. He cleared his throat and shifted his weight from one leg to the other, while dropping his hands from around Izayoi's body. "You would be called horrible names – wench, youkai's whore."

She nodded. She knew. "I don't care about that."

"I do," was InuTaisho's sudden reply. "This was a goodbye, Izayoi, and a goodbye is shall be. You will marry the human lord; you will be happy with him. He will treat you well, he will love you. You'll have many children, you will have a happy life."

Izayoi shook her head, but she couldn't say that she didn't want that to the demon Lord. In all honesty, she did want that – but she just wanted _him_ more. "Please don't leave me."

"I have to go back to the capital, Izayoi," he replied. "You know this. I can't see you anymore; I don't want your father finding out about my presence here; it's not safe for him to know. You need to do what is right for your family, Izayoi – you know this, that includes saying goodbye to me."

"I know that." She nodded. She did know that. "Lord Takemaru will be a good husband to you, Izayoi. He will give you good things, a good life, children of your own." He began to pry her locked fingers from his robes. "Come now, don't be like this. Don't let our parting be on sad terms."

Izayoi nodded. "I am being foolish, I know," she sniffed. "Forgive me, InuTaisho."

"No you're not, Izayoi, you're not being foolish at all. I will miss you also. I have enjoyed your company immensely over the last few weeks."

She smiled despite the tears. "Really?"

"Why else would I be bothering to say goodbye to you?" he chuckled well-naturedly and pushed a strand of hair behind the rounded shell of her ear – so different to his pointed ones. They were made to get all the sound they could with such a lower range hearing than he. "I will tell you what I am going to do in the coming weeks, hmm?" he asked and directed her over to a stone bench. Izayoi nodded. "Well, first I have to get back to the capital and have a talk with that blasted son of mine – I pray to the good kami you never have any sons as troublesome as mine, Izayoi," the hime giggled at this. "Then, let's see; a meeting with all the generals, then maybe I might go for a run along the borders, a bath in a stream where no women will peek on me…"

"InuTaisho?" Izayoi asked softly.

"Yes, my dearest?"

"You're… You're not… I mean, if you son thinks that you should expand your border to Setsuna… what would you say? You wouldn't lead an army here, would you?"

"Izayoi!" he seemed a little offended at this. "If my son does propose a thing I will vehemently refuse it. Why would I take such a village that is being adequately managed by its own Lords simply for the profit of expanding an empire? Please, have a little bit of faith in me."

She nodded. "I'm sorry… I should have known."

He didn't mind. She meant no harm in the comment anyway; she simply wanted to know if she was safe. There was nothing to chastise in that.

Gently, he cupped her soft cheek in one clawed hand. Her skin was so soft and supple, like the skin of a ripe white peach. She smiled and leant into his touch as a thumb rubbed against her cheekbone. She smelt a little of the human male, but only on her hands – the scent had drifted up to his nose as she fisted her hands into his robes and cried. InuTaisho managed a small smile and under the moonlight, he wasn't sure if it looked sympathetic or demonic. He hoped sympathetic.

With his clipped on armour, she couldn't rest her head against his shoulder, though she longed too. Instead, Izayoi sufficed with pressing her body further against his, his warmth lulling her to sleep as the night grew longer.

Izayoi fell asleep soon after that, moulded as best she could against his left side without becoming impaled in his armour. Her hands had laced around his arms like he was her Lord and she was his beautiful princess. With a heaving sigh, InuTaisho gathered the young woman into his arms and without a noise, breeched the garden, patio and through the shoji doors, slipping the woman into the rolled futon and pulling up half the blankets before turning to leave. Halting at the threshold between Izayoi's room and the patio, he left a small draw-string silk bag on the floorboards before leaving.

He made quick work of ascending the wall of her manor, transforming into the giant dog and then left the village rather quickly and heading north-east towards the sea-side capitol of his empire.

The night was clear and crisp, perfect in spring for a midnight run. But InuTaisho was weary, he transformed back not an hour later and found a cave to rest for the night – he hadn't expected the parting to suck as much energy as it had, but then again, he had anticipated it would be hard to say goodbye. "I know you did the right thing, my lord," a scratchy voice piped up suddenly.

"Myoga?" he huffed and threw another log into the small fire pit. The little flea had been sucking blood from his arm, and he swatted him promptly. "Not tonight."

The flea didn't heed his warning. "My, my, my though, she was beautiful – human or youkai, she was a prize alright."

InuTaisho rolled his golden eyes, but did not utter anything. Myoga continued anyway.

"Even I was starting to fall in love with her," he tutted and bounced onto his master's obi. "And you know how much of a heart of stone I have. I can't imagine how you must have felt, my lord."

"Stop goading me, Myoga," replied InuTaisho wearily. "I'm going to have a hard enough time sleeping tonight without your tormenting."

The little flea sighed. "In all honesty, my lord – the human lord is a good man. Not very nice blood, but an honourable man – not as honourable as you, of course, but still." Myoga sighed as his master shifted uncomfortably. "She was very smart, wasn't she? And brave – imagine talking back to you master! _You_! Oh, I almost died. I thought you were going to cut her head off."

"That would have been a waste," replied InuTaisho with an amused grin. "She was much too self-assured for her own good."

"It would be best, for when we arrive at the capitol tomorrow," said Myoga wisely. "That you have a bath before then – if you don't want your son knowing, and I'm assuming you don't, best to wash the scent off."

"I was already planning on it," huffed InuTaisho. "Knowing Sesshomaru, he'd sniff out the village and send ten-thousand men to burn it down just because I did not reply to his letter promptly."

"Your son does have that tendency, my lord. Something he didn't inherit from his father, I can assure you that."

InuTaisho chuckled at this before stretching his limbs, feeling his bones crack. He was feeling weary, a dull, warm ache over his body and his lids heavy. Myoga settled somewhere around, and InuTaisho yawned loudly, letting any other youkai know he was the strongest around before he promptly fell asleep. How he loathed the idea of visiting the capitol tomorrow…

* * *

><p>Things are definitely getting interesting (bittersweet?) between the human and daiyoukai couple (if you could call them that at this point). I'd like to give a great big thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter, and they were,<p>

**inuaddict, Daphneshaggydoo, DreamOrNightmare, grace days three, The-Aquamarine-Amulet, ProlongedDemoness**, and **Kate.**

****I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please remember to review!

**~ Arlia'Devi **


	7. Part 7: The Daylight Prince

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, all rights go to Rumiko Takahashi and associates. I make no money from this.

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

**Part VII: The Daylight Lord**

Lord Takemaru awaited Lady Izayoi's appearance from her quarters rather impatiently. He had been patient around the middle of the morning, when it was normal for one to arise at that time. But now, however, it was seeping into midday and the afternoon and Izayoi still had not risen from her bed. Was she sick? Did she have the sleeping sickness? Was she sad? Did she not want to see him this morning? Sighing and pouring another cup of tea, one of her nurses went to rouse her.

"Oh, my lady, you're awake!" Ikana called as she slid open the doors to find her lady not only dressed, but the futon rolled and she sitting out in the private gardens. "We had thought you still to be sleeping. Are you alright?"

Izayoi nodded from the stone bench, cold and slightly damp from the night, from where he had sat, and said, "I won't be much longer, Ikana – please, tell Lord Takemaru I mean him no offence… I-I just feel sad today."

Ikana nodded and closed the shoji doors and returned back to Lord Takemaru. Izayoi sat on the bench and cradled the wound scroll she had in her hands. She had found it at the foot of her futon this morning, and unrolling, it, revealed a beautiful image of Sakura blossoms, of sparrows and winter snow. The markings of the artist told her it was original – it was expensive and beautiful. With that was another hair ornament, as stunning, if not more so, than the last. Accompanying the gifts was the note that read, '_with my deepest affections, my princess'. _

Izayoi had cried and cried and thrown the gifts into a corner, the comb rattling on the floor and the scroll unlatching and rolling out. Didn't he understand? She did not want his gifts; she did not want his money! She didn't want anything of his, unless it was him. Izayoi had cried into her lap for a long time, until her throat was sore and her eyes were red and puffy.

Then, she rolled up her futon, dressed herself in a simple robe (not those as stunning as she had been wearing as of late), put the comb into her hair and admired the artwork in the morning sun. She wondered if it smelt like him – of wood and musk and earth, a beautiful, alluring smell. That was when Ikana had slinked through the door and had startled the princess, and when she had decided to pack away the scroll and go down for tea.

Lord Takemaru was a beautifully fresh-faced man, with angular features and a boyish smile. He had such broad shoulders, though not as broad as InuTaisho's…

Damn! Izayoi huffed before smiling politely and bowing to the Lord. "Forgive me, Lord Takemaru – I wasn't feeling my best this morning."

Takemaru nodded curtly and assured the princess that was quite alright and asked if she was feeling better. "Yes," she had replied. "Much, thank you." Her father had disappeared along with the nurses within the past minute or so. Lord Takemaru rose to his feet wearing a simple navy blue hakama and tied haori, without amour or weaponry, so unlike InuTaisho, who she had never seen without armour strapped or weapons in his belt.

Now there you go, thinking of him again, Izayoi sighed.

"Would you like to come for a walk with me?" asked Takemaru and Izayoi jumped back into reality. "Around the gardens, maybe? I would like to get to know you a little better…?"

"Oh yes," Izayoi flushed and walked over to the shoji doors, pulling them open and revealing a beautifully lit courtyard with meandering yellow Chinese roses. "This way," she smiled and Takemaru followed.

"You know," he began causally when, after a while of falling into step, they found it necessary to talk. "When I first began this trip, I was worried my plight would be for a dreadful woman, as has happened before." He smiled and tried to catch Izayoi's downcast eyes. "I must say, I am pleasantly mistaken – you are the image of beauty, Izayoi."

She thanked Takemaru for his compliment and offered him a small smile. Worry flitted over the young lord's face and he said softly, "Is something the matter, Izayoi? Are you not feeling well? You look like you are terribly suffering."

"No," she replied softly, "I am fine, please, Takemaru, I really am fine. I…," she bit her lip, but Takemaru implored her to continue. "I just am missing someone; someone I will never see again, a friend of mine."

"Oh," he murmured, his eyes dropping to the ground of the gardens. "Well," he said, trying to comfort but not really knowing how. "Who says you will never see each other again? Did you? Did they?"

"No," sighed Izayoi. "No one said it like so, but I know we will never."

Takemaru bit his lip. "Now, now, Izayoi – you should remain optimistic. Who was this friend? A woman from the village?"

"No," Izayoi muttered and then she turned her head up to look into Takemaru's gentle, brown eyes. "Please do not be angry my Lord, but my heart is willing it belongs to another, and yet, it cannot – he is never coming back, I have told my heart time and time again not to be so foolish!" the confused expression on Lord Takemaru's face brought her to tears, and bitterly, Izayoi began to weep. "Oh please do not look at me like that, my Lord!"

"Izayoi, Izayoi," he hummed. "Is this why you were so sad? Your love has left you?" she nodded. Takemaru frowned. "How can you call him your love, darling, when he has left someone as beautiful as you? What man could ever leave you?" he laughed gently. "Forget this fool, Izayoi. I am here now. I'll take care of you."

_He is not a man… _She nodded and thumbed the tears from her cheeks. With a shaky breath she exhaled and looked up to Takemaru. "Thank you, you're a good man."

With a gentle hand, he steered her back to the manor. "Rest a while, please, Izayoi – you are not well." Izayoi complied and stepped into the tearoom. "Please," Takemaru's voice made her look back to him. "Please," he implored. "Tell me the name of this man."

"No, my Lord," Izayoi replied curtly. "I do not wish to offend – but, no." _Because he is not a man…_

He nodded once, stepped away from the patio and bowed lowly. Izayoi thanked him, wished him a pleasant afternoon and then closed the shoji. With a heavy sigh and a heavy heart, Takemaru retreated. He had known that winning the heart of the beautiful yet stubborn princess of Setsuna would be a difficult challenge – she had turned down every suitor her father had chosen for her. He had accepted it would be difficult, but not impossible. Now, finding out that indeed, another man did hold her heart, it was leaning further from 'difficult' and closer to 'impossible'. Still, he had not travelled a month from his home country to give in. This land could be his if he desired it so – he did not have to make the princess fall in love with him, he could easily wed her by force through the persuasion of her old father, but he didn't want to. Izayoi was beautiful, youthful, everything about her seemed perfect – even her smile, as sad as it had been today, warmed his heart. He wanted her to love him wholly. To spend a bitter life with a woman he felt nothing for, but in possession of much power was not what he desired.

Takemaru sighed and sat out on a bench in the gardens. Courting Izayoi would be hard, it would take a long time, but it was a battle he was more than happy to fight.

* * *

><p><em>My Lord…<em>

Izayoi wept on her futon, of which she had unrolled and crawled into, taking off the two top layers of her kimono and slipping into the linen. Her heart ached, her brain felt frazzled, eyes watery and limbs tired. She cried into her futon, not really know what she was crying for sometimes and then knowing that she longed for him, wanted him, needed him – if only for a moment.

But he would not return to her.

* * *

><p>InuTaisho pulled his now-dry clothes back on after a long soak in a stream, making sure all the scent of Izayoi had been washed off his being. Then, he met his son at the capitol; in the manor's boardroom where he stood rigidly, his silver hair longer and his face only the little more matured. He narrowed his eyes chastising and InuTaisho noted how much he resembled his mother.<p>

"Hello son," InuTaisho greeted curtly and over his son's armoured shoulder noticed the battle plans and strategies he had been working on.

"Where have you been?" demanded Sesshomaru. "Tell this Sesshomaru."

"None of your business, boy," snapped InuTaisho.

"You smell strange," he noted. "Of fresh water."

"Had to wash myself before I came to the capitol," grunted the Lord as he began flicking through documents. "Cannot have blood dripping on these floors, can I?"

"No, I suppose the ningen would be harpier than ever," he replied and folded his arms over his chest. "If you will not tell me where you have been, father, you'll humour me as to why your generals had to seek this Sesshomaru out when you were no where to be found! They are not my generals, these are not my states!"

"They will be one day, boy," replied InuTaisho. "And a little responsibility never hurt anyone – you are insolent, you should be regarding this as an opportunity instead of wandering around, conquering for personal gain – there is only so much power you can possess, my son, and there are much more important things in this world."

Sesshomaru gave a wry grin. "When I find those things, I will keep them in mind," he replied rather coldly, not appreciating the chastising whatsoever.

"While you were so graciously at leave, father," began Sesshomaru and InuTaisho had to bite back a groan of how tedious his son was becoming. "The generals seek to expand the empire – they are no longer contented with the land that we possess, things have become too easy. In the North they are expanding their boarders, yards each day. If we do not acquire more villages, then the empire runs the risk of being taken over."

"I need no more lands than I possess, Sesshomaru, I will not be greedy," rejected InuTaisho and took a seat on the floor, studying the spread out maps. He ran his fingers over the inked out boarder of his empire, noticing how close the state of Setsuna was to him. A fond memory cast his vision, but he did not allow a smile.

"You linger over the southern side," noted Sesshomaru. "The southerners are weak; their empire is crumbling as we speak. It would be… _merciful_, to take it from them." Sesshomaru used the word 'merciful' carefully.

"I don't need anymore land," he repeated. "And I will be telling the generals as such. This InuTaisho, Lord of the Western Lands, needs no more to control." And then the Dog Lord cleared his throat. "What he needs is a son who takes responsibility in the empire; who is not insolent and will listen to his father's words."

Sesshomaru smirked. "Perhaps then, you need another son."

* * *

><p>The following morning as Izayoi's nurses applied oils to her hair and brushed the locks through. As they did so, one, Ikana, conversed with her.<p>

"There was a foreboding hanging around the castle, the awful of lingering as of late," she commented partially off-hand.

"What sort of lingering?" asked Izayoi.

Ikana shrugged a little. "A strange darkness, though not the darkest I've ever seen. It was like how incence smoke looks, just a slither of an aura here and there – sometimes weak, sometimes strong."

"What do you think it is?"

"My mother was a miko, she told me was feeling the presence of a demon, but it has all but past now." Izayoi shifted a little in her seat.

"Passed? You do not feel this anymore?"

"No, my Lady," murmured Ikana and then began to talk in a hypnotic sense, as if she had been engrossed in an enthusiastic story. "Strange. My mother told me she had also felt it, and being a travelling miko when I was a babe, she said it was a distinct feeling – the kind she recognised in passing in her travels. She said it was the Great Dog Demon Leader, the Lord of the Western Lands – InuTaisho."

"Was she afraid?" Izayoi asked.

"For a moment," Ikana admitted. "But it seemed all the demon was doing was lingering around on the edges. His youki would flare up had he been doing something else. We did not alert the village people; he seemed to be having a holiday!"

"A holiday!" spat another nurse and Ikana giggled. "Ikana you're crazy! Youkai don't have holidays!"

"This one was! Mama said that as soon as she felt him around, he would disappear. For around two weeks she felt him on-and-off. Mama has good senses for youki, and he had no other soldiers with him. Besides, had she announced to the village he was around, everyone would have gathered their weapons and gone to find him, but a demon that strong can never be found by humans."

"Still," huffed the nurse. "I just don't like it. That story creeped me out? Didn't it creep you out, m'lady?"

Izayoi gave a small smile and nodded. "Yes. Very much so."

"He seems rather interested in you, my lady," smiled Ikana. "Are you interested in him?"

"Lord Takemaru is a good man," replied Izayoi offhandedly. "He is a brave samurai, a gentle, handsome man with benevolent tendencies. He's the man I would have always wanted to marry in my mind," she said forlornly. Ikana smiled brightly and set the hairbrush down.

"Your father thinks just as much," replied Ikana. "It has only been two days but…"

"Please," Izayoi interrupted then, turning to gaze at Ikana. Ikana was only perhaps five to seven years older than her. She was yet to find a suitable husband, and instead, dutifully served Izayoi and her late mother. She had short brown hair, but it was always tied back with a head scarf and never wore very expensive kimono, although she possessed quite a few nice gowns. "Please, I know what you are thinking – you think it would be a good idea to marry the lord..." Ikana nodded. "The Lord-," Izayoi knew she was speaking of her father, but raised a hand to silence her maid. "I think it would be a good idea, also… but I still feel ill. Please, I do not think I could stand to get married at the moment, please, may we wait until I am feeling better?"

Ikana nodded. "Of course, my Lady, it was merely a suggestion, but you have not been yourself for the past few days. Perhaps you should rest."

"I think I will go sit out in the garden. Some fresh air is better than being cramped in a stuffy room all day."

"Of course," Ikana bowed. "Yes my Lady."

"Ikana," Izayoi hummed as the nurse began to leave. Ikana turned on her heel.

"Yes, my Lady?"

"Tell Lord Takemaru that I will meet him for lunch."

"Of course my Lady," and then the shoji screen shut with a click and Izayoi listened to the sound of her nurse's footsteps recede.

Despite how gloomy Izayoi felt, it was a wonderful morning outside. There were a small family of swallows chirping in the tree above and Izayoi lit a stick of incense, taking it out into the day. With no strong wind around, the scent lingered, weaving through the light air like a smoke serpent. Izayoi sighed and sat on the stone bench, her hands folded in her lap. Despite the tranquillity of the outdoors, Izayoi was distressed and the words of her nurse echoed in her mind.

_...He's the man I would have always wanted to marry in my mind._

* * *

><p>In his chambers, InuTaisho reclined on the futon, his armour to the side and his three swords discarded on the other side of the room. A silver pony tail fanned out on the tatami mats and the general kicked off his boots. A ningen woman asked if he would like tea, but he declined. Her hair was not nearly as long enough, and she was not nearly as pretty enough to be serving him tea.<p>

A sudden pin-prick on his arms had him slapping a irritating flea away.

"I knew you would be waiting my return," hummed InuTaisho and stared at the ceiling as Myoga got over his thwacking.

"I can't help it, m'lord," chuckled the flea. "Your blood is just too inviting! It's delicious."

InuTaisho sighed and then rolled to his side, turning his back on the flea. "Leave me," he commanded.

"Now, now sire," tutted Myoga, jumping over his master's body and facing him once more. InuTaisho had shut his eyes. "Tiring day in the office."

"The troops want to extend their boarders south, to the lands over Setsuna."

"My," whistled Myoga, "That certainly is south. Is there a problem with that? Oh wait, isn't that where-,"

"I do not want to expand the boarders – the generals, and my son, are simply being greedy." He interrupted sharply, cutting Myoga off. "I tell my son everything he needs to know about running an empire as to not have it fall out of your grasp, and he ignores me. Sesshomaru suggested I have another son; such is his non-desire to inherit what I've built for him."

Myoga sighed. Sometimes he hated dealing with Sesshomaru. Frankly, the guy was a creep – nothing at all like his father, and Myoga loathed the mother of his pup. Perhaps the young prince had gotten a few too many hits on the head when he was younger. Whatever it was, Myoga didn't bother with the whelp. "That's teenagers," sighed Myoga. "They don't appreciate hard work or opportunities – they just want what they want and nothing else matters."

InuTaisho laughed. "And how would you know, Myoga? Are you advising me with your firm knowledge based on a litter on teenagers?"

Myoga frowned at the teasing and crossed his arms. "But the young prince does have a point – you are young, my Lord, if Sesshomaru does not want anything to do with the empire, why do you not consider finding another female and bearing another son? Or two? And this time you won't have to name him 'Killing Blade' as that blasted woman wanted to call him."

A smile didn't grace InuTaisho's features at Myoga ribbed his ex, and the dog demon groaned again and then rolled over to the side. "No more women, no more children. I do not desire any."

Myoga bounded over his body again. "Why not, my Lord – don't blame yourself for the way Sesshomaru turned out, it is truly not your fault. He got too much of his mother in him. This time, just don't lie with a sadistic wench of a woman."

InuTaisho barked out a laugh. Myoga smiled. "Why, how long has it been since your futon was warmed, m'lord? A nice woman, maybe you may even find you true mate, another son; someone who will follow in your footsteps."

InuTaisho sighed. "You wouldn't understand, Myoga."

"Hm?' the flea's eyebrows raised.

"I don't want any woman you hand to me. I want no woman in this castle, no woman in my lands…"

Myoga sighed. "No woman of your kind, you mean. The human princess - Izayoi…"

"Don't say her name," he muttered. "It only makes me weep."

The old flea tutted. "Well, you have certainly got yourself into a predicament. She could become your concubine, I suppose, but it would not appease the generals if she was to have your child. A hanyou's life is hard; he could never become the heir you want. They only usually possess half the strength of a true youkai. You would most likely be urged to kill it when it was birthed, despite it being an heir."

InuTaisho grunted. "She deserves better than that. She can never become my mate; she belongs to someone else now."

"The human lord?"

InuTaisho nodded.

Myoga sighed and sat down. He truly was at loss as for what to do. His lord clearly desired the woman, though he did not desire her enough to take her away from her home, and to have her live with him, as his yunna. True, had the InuTaisho truly desired her, there were ways to get around it; no one had to know if she was going to sire him a child – there were herbs one could take for that. Myoga sighed once again, all he wanted was for his master to be happy, and this human hime seemed to make him that. He lingered around on those spring days when they met in the fields and laughed, teasing on another in polite conversation.

And then, finally, it dawned on the old flea. This master of his, the leader of the dog demons, he did not merely desire the human princess, he loved her. And with that realisation, Myoga knew it got a whole lot more complicated. He also knew, however, that his master could not continue the way he was – something would have to be done.

* * *

><p>I loved this chapter actually. Hope you did too! I would like to thank the reviewers –<p>

**KiwiWitch**** , ****DreamOrNightmare****, ****The-Aquamarine-Amulet****, ****Yasnactic****, ****ProlongedDemoness****, ****LifeandFire25** and **Kate**.

Thank you all, and please, drop a quick **review** before you leave!

~ **Arlia'Devi**


	8. Part 8: Dream, Tonight

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, all rights go to Rumiko Takahashi and associates. I make no money from this.

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

**Part VIII: Dream, Tonight**

Takemaru was a funny man. With a piece of shrimp hanging out of his mouth, he laughed at something Izayoi had told him which she did not think was particularly funny. Lord Takemaru almost fell of his seat and smiled goofily at Izayoi, who held a small smile of her own across the table. A pink tongue darted out to retrieve the missing piece of shrimp that didn't make it into his mouth. He wore a casual pair of hakama and a haori, tied under within his pants. The fabrics were dyed a deep blue, like the bottom of the ocean, Izayoi thought, while there were small circles of lighter blue, like a morning sky.

"My Lord, I didn't think you would find it so funny," Izayoi laughed softly.

"It was," he assured and then he smiled gently. "How lovely it is to see your face so bright today, Izayoi. You are positively radiant. Are you still not feeling well, really?"

"Thank you for the flattery, my Lord," Izayoi replied. "But truly, I am still a little tired… I thought it was in my best interest to invite you for lunch today. I'm sorry we do not get the time to talk with my sickness recently, you having travelled such a long way and all…"

"Do not worry yourself, Izayoi," smiled Takemaru. "Take as much rest as you need – I entertain myself rather well around in Setsuna. Why, I visited the mikos of the village two days ago."

"Oh?" Izayoi asked and poured the lord and her tea. "Was that interesting, my lord?"

"You are the epitome of beauty pouring that tea, my lady," he smiled delicately. "But the miko did say something strange," he hummed. "They told me of a aura they had been feeling around. They said they didn't know what it was, just a strange feeling – like a youkai, but there were no youkai around the village, the men did a search."

Izayoi nodded and drank her tea. "Perhaps it was nothing," she replied. "No one was injured – I wouldn't worry too much about it, my Lord."

"I'm not," he replied. "The day before last I bathed in the mineral hot pools outside of the village."

"They are wonderous," agreed Izayoi.

"You go often?" Takemaru quirked a brow.

"As often as I would like – perhaps once or twice a week with my nurses. One of my maids has a foot irritation, the water soothes it."

"Ah," he said, not sure how to comment when foot irritations were brought over the eating table. "I see…," his eyes dropped for a moment, until an idea sparked in his mind and he shot back up again enthusiastically. "Izayoi, my dearest, when you are feeling better we should take a walk into the village. I am interested in trying the cuisine Setsuna has to offer."

Izayoi smiled and nodded. "That would be wonderful, my lord. I have not seen the children of the village for quite a while."

"The children are fond of you?" he asked and swirled the tea cup, taking a large gulp. She brewed it well.

"Rather," she smiled.

"That's nice," he replied and then suddenly, his carefree attitude turned a little sour and he said softly, "And this man, do you still think of him?"

Izayoi put her teacup down then. "I…," Izayoi muttered and then her eyes dropped to her folded knees. "I'm sorry, my Lord."

"You are suffering from sickness – a longing aren't you, Izayoi?"

She shivered. "I… I don't want to dis-"

"Aren't you?" he insisted, and though it was gently, there was a sense of roughness to his tone. "Answer me, Izayoi."

"Yes, my Lord. I am, my Lord, I am sorry."

He sighed then, and Takemaru said nothing for a very long time. "Will you at least tell me his name?" he hummed. "At least give me that piece of knowledge, please, Izayoi. I am not upset, but you need to let go. You said it yourself; he is not coming back. Is he?"

Izayoi shook her head, still hunched over. "No, my Lord. This is foolishness. I apologise."

Takemaru hummed to no one in particular for a moment and then downed the rest of his tea, suddenly wishing it was sake. Eventually, he announced. "Just tell me one thing, Izayoi, if you are not going to tell me anything else?" she responded that she would and Takemaru sighed, "You could marry me, couldn't you? I am someone you would feel happy marrying?"

Izayoi nodded. "I told my nurses that you are the husband I thought I would always have."

He smiled brightly then and reached across the table, softly caressing Izayoi's fingers with his thumb in a ghost of a sweeping action. With the other hand he pushed back a mass of chocolate hair before rising to his feet, bowing lowly, "Thank you for this meal, Izayoi, it has been most pleasurable."

"You are welcome, my lord," replied Izayoi with a slight falter in her voice. Nodding with a rather determined look on his face, Takemaru left the dining room and soon, Izayoi heard the cluttering of the shoji doors as the lord stepped out side. He called for his horse, and Izayoi wished to hear no more, not fully understanding what the Lord had planned, but not all that interested.

* * *

><p>Retiring after a trying day, Izayoi closed the shoji doors and slipped her robes off her shoulders, allowing her hair to tumble down her back as she retracted it's holding pin. She sighed and allowed the last layer of her robe for sleeping and pulled back the sheets her maid had set out for her previously. A candle flickered by her side, burning down a tall cadlestick. She didn't notice the small flea that slipped into her bedroom through the shoji doors. It was much too dark and Myoga was much too small to be noticed.<p>

But the little flea, analysing the movements of the woman in front of him, noticed once again how beautiful the human princess was – as beautiful as any demoness or human hime he'd seen. Myoga jumped forward and landed on her bedding, shaded by the dim light of the candle, watched as the young woman curled her knees up to her chest and began to weep softly. She muttered his name softly, perhaps in a curse, and Myoga knew he had to say something or leave.

"My dearest?" he asked timidly and suddenly Izayoi's head shot up.

"Who is there? Takemaru!" she called to the mistaken man.

"Um, no my dear hime," Myoga bounced onto Izayoi's knees and waved to get her attention. She blinked once, a watery blink, and then she scooted back, to see the little flea more clearly. And then Izayoi screamed. Very loudly.

She screamed very loudly.

"My lady!" Ikana came running in as Izayoi scampered out of the bedding, knocking over the candle in the meanwhile. A thumping on the floorboards and suddenly Takemaru burst into the room then, a sword at his hip.

"Izayoi!' he cried as Ikana ran to her mistress' side and helped her to her feet, covering her in a longer robe. "What happened, what did you scream for?"

"N… I had a bad dream,' she murmured and spied the small flea climbing on the rice paper of the shoji door. "Sorry to disturb you…"

"It's no worries, mistress," Ikana said and Takemaru picked up the candle, which had gone out in the process. Taking it out to the hallway, he returned with it lit and rested it on a chest of drawers.

"I will do a once over of the manor in case all is not well," Takemaru said. "There may be youkai auras around, disrupting you, my lady.'

"Lord Takemaru, it isn't necessary," she tried to insist, but the Lord didn't listen. Ikana had repaired Izayoi's bedding in the process.

"Fret not, Izayoi, it will not take long," he assured gently, offering a lulling smile. "Please, go back to bed. You need the rest."

Ikana bowed as Takemaru left with the general also bowing as he closed the door to her chambers. Ikana wished her mistress a goodnight once again when Izayoi assured her there was nothing the matter; she had just had a fright, was all. Gathering up the longer robe lining, Izayoi huffed and turned back to the flea that was still climbing up the rice paper and had gone unnoticed during the entire escapade. She had handled the great dog demon general then she could handle a flea youkai.

"You're a demon!" she announced coldly, pulling her robes closer to her body. "Stay away from me demon! Don't come any closer or I'll squish you!"

"Please, m'lady," implored Myoga, not particularly in the mood for a squishing. He jumped down from the shoji and onto a tatami mat, though the hime scuttled backwards. "I won't harm you, don't be afraid."

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"Myoga," replied the flea and dared to bound a little closer. "I am the retainer of the Inu no Taishou."

"InuTaisho?" a hand flew to her mouth to stifle a gasp, which suddenly turned into a quiet sob. "He's alright, isn't he? He is well? You did not come with bad news?"

"No, no, of course not, my lady," replied Myoga. "No, my lord is well. He's at the capitol, arranging things with his son and generals…"

Izayoi sunk down onto the futon then, with the robes still gathered at her breast. With a nibble on her bottom lip, she muttered, "Why then? Why have you come, did my lord send you?"

"No," replied Myoga and noticed the way the princess' eys dropped, and had to add, "But he has confided in me how much he thinks of you, my lady… I don't know why I came, but you are very beautiful, I can see how he thinks of you over and over again. My Lord tells me you are to marry the Lord Takemaru."

Izyaoi nodded. "Yes, but he knows I am still in love with another… InuTaisho." And then she fell onto herself, crying softly into her hands. "But we can never be together."

"Oh my child," cooed Myoga and jumped to rest on the hime's knee. "Do not cry, come now, my lord is in the best of health. He would not want you to be like this. He thinks of you often, and misses you terribly," Myoga chuckled then, "I would go as far as to say the Lord is in love, for the poor soul doesn't even know what love is in the first place to recognise his condition."

Izayoi laughed and thumbed away a few stray tears. "He thinks of me often?" she asked on a shaky breath.

"Aye. We discussed you, my lady, but I am frightfully honest that you would do no better than getting killed if you were to live at the capitol – the lord's son will not bode well with his father having a woman other than his mother."

Izayoi smiled and sat up on her futon, bringing her legs close to her chest and resting her chin atop her knees. "Myoga-san," she whispered softly. "Please tell me more about InuTaisho – he told me so little about himself, please – his son?"

Myoga grimanced. "Lord Sesshomaru," he muttered darkly. "Sometimes I wonder if my lord did play any part in conceiving that pup of his or if it was purely his mother's spawn. Sesshomaru would not hesitate to kill you, my child. He wishes to expand the empire's boarders, over and past Setsuna, but my Lord will not allow it." Izayoi gasped, but Myoga continued. "There was a much heated quarrel about it, my Lord refused to even consider expanding the boarders, though his son was rather adamant about it."

Izayoi nodded. "My Lord said he was married before."

"Yes," Myoga sighed. "He was."

"Tell me about that, please."

Myoga sighed and shrugged before he said, "Well, the inuyoukai female bore him a son – Sesshomaru, 'the killing blade', which I suppose is a reflection on how sadistic my Lord's wife is. He has not seen her in almost two centuries, though I believe Sesshomaru remains in contact with her. She was merely a political marriage – one that was never expected to last, but my lord was young and he wanted the lands and kingdom that his wife's kin possessed."

Izayoi smiled softly and, with her eyes drooped down at her entwined fingers, said in a whisper, "I miss him."

Myoga sighed. "He misses you too, my lady."

Izayoi gave a half-hearted grin and said, "I wish I could see him again… and then sometimes I don't, because I know he wanted me to be happy, to marry the Lord Takemaru…" then she began to cry again. "I just don't know what to do!"

* * *

><p>InuTaisho didn't know where he was. There was no smell in the air, which he found strange. Usually he smelt a whole assortment of scents, from the human travellers or animals that had just past, to a stream of freshwater nearby or a patch of flowers blooming nearby. He was in a field, but there were no scents, which probably gave him the idea that this place, this field he stood in was not real, but when he saw a beautiful woman approach him with a soft, sultry smile, he didn't care whether it was real or not.<p>

He sauntered over to her, closing the gap between the fields and where she stood, shadowed by the overhanging tree limbs of the forest. "Izayoi," he whispered as she fell into his arms. He took no time in gathering her up in his arms, pressing her against his body. "Izayoi," he repeated huskily against her ear, taking her earlobe into his mouth and then pressing feverent kisses down her jaw and throat.

"My lord," she smiled against his skin. "My lord, I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too," he grunted, his hands fumbling with the ties of her obi. "Izayoi...," he didn't want to force her into this, he needed to know. "I need you, Izyoi."

The hime gasped as she felt her robes begin to loosen and a hand slip into the first of the five layers of her clothes. "… I… I need you too, my lord," she all but sobbed against his pointed ear.

He hummed and cherished her against him, "Izayoi… hmm, my love," he hummed against her ear and eased her out to stand in the soft grass bathed by moonlight. "What are you doing out so late, my flower? Don't you know it's not safe?"

She smiled and kissed his lips lightly. "I knew you would be here… with you, I am safe, no?" he smiled and kissed her again, delicately and nodded.

"Yes, yes, my dove," he smiled and began unclipping his armour. "Will you allow me this, Izayoi? This honour?"

For a moment he watched as she stopped and he could see the thinking behind her eyes. She was wondering if this was a good idea, if it would jeopardise something in the future… her engagement to the Lord Takemaru, her manor and legacy and father… and then InuTaisho realised, "My darling," he hummed. "This is not real, it is only a dream – things here, they don't exist like they do when we are awake. Here…," he saw the relief bloom in her eyes. "Here we are free."

InuTaisho woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for breath. The thin covers had been kicked off and as he controlled his breathing, his eyes searched around the room. It was dark and empty save for the expensive furniture, large, stretching for metres, and his futon taking up a corner. Beside him was a small candle which had been blown out before he had retired. He noticed the flea's presence was no where around.

"Myoga?" he called his voice raspy even by his definition.

There was no answer.

Frowning slightly the general called again, "Myoga, are you around?"

Still, no answer. The diayoukai huffed in frustration and threw the covers back over his body. Although, he had to admit, the dream certainly wasn't a nightmare…

_It is foolish I miss her… even after this long._

* * *

><p>"My lady," Myoga sighed softly. "It is hard, I know. But believe me, if Sesshomaru ever found out his father was entertaining thoughts with a human woman, I fear your life would be in danger. It's better this way, my Lord even bathed in an open stream before he met his son, just so he had no scent of you to follow. Sesshomaru is a strange boy you see, bloodthirsty and unreasonable. Although he has respect for his father, I don't doubt for a moment he wouldn't kill you and make it look an accident. Even if you wrote to my Lord... he, they, would find out. He wants you to be safe more than anything."<p>

Izyaoi cried into her lap, trying to muffle the sound as she heard Takemaru's footsteps in the manor as he completed the round of the manor. "It's foolish I miss him this much, it's been almost three weeks," she sniffed and looked to the candle, which burnt slowly down the wick, small drops of wax hardening along its length. "I just wish…," she sighed heavily then. "I just wish that either I see him once again, or my foolish heart will get over him and I can wed the Lord Takemaru happily."

"My lord only wants your happiness, my lady," replied Myoga.

"No," she stated softly. "He doesn't. He only wants what is right for me, for my family and honour. He does not want my happiness, had he ever wanted it…," she smiled softly. "Well…"

"The Lord Takemaru is a good soldier, my lady," said Myoga. "He has won many battles, and apparently he even exterminated a small group of youkai terrorising a town he was marching through."

Izayoi smiled softly. "Yes, I know he is a good man. That does not mean his heart cannot be tainted however. How can I believe what people say now, when I was told by the village miko that demons were heartless and evil? And yet I have met two that are quite charming."

Myoga chuckled and blushed a little under the dim light of the candle. "Your grace flatters me," he laughed softly. "InuTaisho remarks how much of a beauty you are – he will speak to no other woman at the manor, he will not even drink tea before bed unless it is being served at a meeting with his generals. I think the geisha remind him too much of you, my lady."

Izayoi nodded and then sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly as she stared at the flickering of the candle. "You should inform your Lord he may visit me anytime he wishes…"

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><p>Hi guys, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I am absolutely swamped at the moment, but thought I would take the time to upload this chapter.<p>

This week I would like to thank for reviewing:

**Demee, ****The-Aquamarine-Amulet****, ****ProlongedDemoness****, ****Kilalalover14**, and **kate**

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. So excited we're almost to **50** reviews!

Please review!

**~ Arlia'Devi**


	9. Part 9: Southern Stars

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, all rights go to Rumiko Takahashi and associates. I make no money from this.

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

**Part IX: Southern Stars**

The Inu no Taisho awoke the following morning as irritable as ever. Not because of the lack of sleep – no he had slept well for five or six hours, which was all he really needed of sleep, and in fact, that much was a little bit of a leisure. And it wasn't his son, either, because Sesshomaru hadn't spoken a word all morning as he attended meetings with his generals and such. No, it was because it had been a month and he was still dreaming of the human princess.

And these dreams were becoming increasingly distressing as time passed, and the fact that sometimes InuTaisho liked the way they were slowing disintegrating into basic, primal fantasy needs was one of the worst parts. She was an honourable princess, and for her honour it was one of the reasons he respected her so, but there was nothing honourable about how she acted in his dreams.

"My Lord?" a stern call suddenly snapped him out of his reverie and he lifted his head off of his chin, which had been resting on his arm lazily. A general looked at him in question over the table and said, "Your thoughts on expanding the borders?"

"Is it necessary?" he ran his finger on the edges of the worn map that marked out in ink his empire, the northern empire, the eastern empire and the southern empire. His was by far, the largest but that thought brought no smirk to his lips as it used to.

"If you don't want to lose half your land to the Northern Empire, then it is sir," replied the general, who with the body of an oni was a large, buff man who could barely fit into out his robes. His skin was a bleeding crimson, though upon first blood during training, InuTaisho knew his blood to be purple. He also had a thick moustache and a long sweeping mane of raven hair. He sat cross legged under the table. "The Lord of the Northern Lands is getting stronger as the days go by, and the wind has it that he has formed an alliance with the Eastern Lands. It's only assuming the Southern Lands will go next, they have a weak leader, he will easily fall. We must take him before the Northern Lord does."

"You're right," muttered InuTaisho. "I had hoped it would not come to this, but the Southern Lands must be ceased."

"We will gather an army, my lord," bowed another general. This man was a salamander demon, a withering paled resemblance of a man. Another sitting general sitting beside him was a small toad youkai. "The lands will be ours."

"No!" InuTaisho growled. "The Lord of the South is aging – I will go by my own. There is no need to assemble the troops. He will give his lands willingly and live, or I will take them by force and he'll die before the Northerners get their greasy mitts on them."

The general nodded. "As you wish my lord," he said, because of cause, this man was his lord and he was obliged to follow orders.

"What has become of my son as of recent?" InuTaisho murmured, keening his hearing for his son loitering around the grounds.

"He left this morning," replied the general. "He did not disclose where he was going, my Lord. I only knew he was leaving as I saw him disappear into storm clouds from the courtyard."

InuTaisho waved it off. He was probably going to see his mother. "No matter, general, it does not matter." Then he got to his feet and bowed. "There is still much light in the day, I'll head off for the Southern Capital."

"You won't get further than perhaps the first lands outside the border before nightfall, my lord," argued a general.

"I will not get much farther if I was to leave by dawn tomorrow morning," replied InuTaisho, clipping on his armour and tightening his Sa'ounga into his obi. By the porch, he fastened on his boots over thick woollen socks and turned back to his generals. "You are not incompetent enough to manage the capitol in my absence. I may not be back for quite a while, but when I do, rest assured the Southern Lands shall be ours."

And with that, the great dog general took to the winds.

* * *

><p>"My lady?" a gentle stirring made Izayoi turn away from where a group of small children were playing in the field and she smiled at the approaching human Lord, who, in a fisted hand, held a bouquet as wildflowers. "You look peaceful out here, beautifully so," and then he handed the flowers to her and Izayoi laughed gently, spreading them across her lap, their sap and pollen marking her robes.<p>

"And you picked these with your own hands?" she asked with a smile and looked up to his sun illuminated face. His eyes were warm and sincere.

"Hai, my lady. Do you like them?"

"They are wonderful. Isn't today such a lovely day?" Takemaru looked to the sky and nodded.

"Why yes," he said, "it's coming into mid-spring now, but the days will only get lovelier and then too much to handle and we will be wishing it to be the middle of winter again if only to get out of the stifling heat."

"It does get warm in Setsuna," she nodded. "And you are from the snow lands, Takemaru – perhaps you are well accommodated to the cold, how do you fair with the hot?"

"The weather effects no good samurai," replied Takemaru. "I am not afraid of the fire – fire will not hurt me, it is the youkai's weakness, it is their curse."

"A youkai curse Izayoi frowned.

"Yes," Takemaru nodded. "The youkai are accursed to suffer in the flames. They are creatures of the fire, they dwell in the eternal inferno, where it is as evil as it is hot and they manifest down there for all eternity. A fitting death for monsters, though, I have heard by those who are slain in bloodlust by youkai sit by streams and listen to women's laughter for all eternity." Takemaru lolled his had and smiled at Izayoi. "Is that not a nice way to spend your afterlife?"

Izayoi did not answer the Lords question and instead, asked a question of her own. She said, "But my lord, do all youkai suffer, _must_ they all suffer? Is there no redemption?"

Takemaru frowned. "Why would they need redemption? Who of youkai would need redemption, Izayoi? Why would you think of such a thing?"

Izayoi only smiled and shrugged and turned back to where the group were playing in the fields, laughing merrily and wrestling. "Children," she said softly.

"Pardon?" Takemaru leant in closer to catch the word.

Izayoi smiled brightly and repeated, "Children, Takemaru – you cannot tell me a child can be evil, that a child human or youkai can not be denied redemption." The children's laughter echoed in her head. "Children are pure souls in need of nurturing – nature may make them one way, but I have no doubt a person can change; they are a wax tablet coming into the world, they are influenced good or evil and continue being influenced as they live. A personality is not a static thing."

Takemaru laughed then, resting back on the soft grass with a small chuckle. Izayoi frowned. "You think it funny what I said?"

"Not funny, Izayoi," he replied, "more unrealistic. A youkai child will grow up evil, there is no doubt. Youkai are born from the fire and when they die, they return to it. There is no grey."

"I think there is," replied Izayoi. "I will not think a youkai child, nor any child can be born good or evil."

"Have you even ever met a youkai, Izayoi to cast your judgement?" Takemaru muttered. "You should thank the Kami you have never, that your old father keeps you safe in the castle. I have, my lady, and I will not be convinced that those monsters can be anything but evil, even the infant ones."

Izayoi sighed and looked from the lord back to the children. One girl, who had dirt streaks across her cheeks, suddenly noticed the princess and bowed deeply, nudging her friend, a chubbier boy of the hime's presence and he bowed also. Izayoi offered a curt nod of acknowledgement and then turned back to Takemaru, who was twirling one of the flowers he had picked between his thumb and forefinger.

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><p>It was late afternoon when InuTaisho crossed the boarder. He had been just about to leave when he'd felt a tiny flare of youkai and then a nip on his neck and the illusive flea Myoga had made his presence known.<p>

"Myoga," he greeted warmly. "I have not seen you around in weeks – I had wondered where you'd hopped off to. Where did you go, if you are inclined to disclose?"

"I was down in the southern lands," Myoga muttered and chuckled nervously. "Well, I was interested in the young princess, and well… my lord you probably don't want to hear."

He didn't really but his mouth betrayed him before his brain had time to cut in. "Tell me what you saw?"

Myoga sighed heavily in the lord's clawed palm. "She is well, but is unhappy. She's still engaged to the human lord, and she tells me he is a fine man – the kind she has always wanted to wed, but there's still a lingering, a lingering she can't get rid of that weighs down on her."

"I am heading that way at this moment," InuTaisho huffed as Myoga jumped onto his robes and climbed up to the general's shoulder.

"Perhaps you should tend a visit, my lord?" Myoga suggested. "Perhaps it will be nice to see her again. It has been over a month."

"No," replied InuTaisho with a quick shake of his head. "That would prove nothing – it will only cause suffering."

"As you wish my lord."

Myoga had stayed behind, both upon his disposition and InuTaisho's insistence. To be truthful, it was nice to be out of the suffocating manor – there were too many people around the capitol for his preferences. InuTaisho enjoyed the wind in his hair, battering cold against his face and cheeks, and disrobing to bath in a running river. Rivers such as these, five hundred years ago he had been birthed on the banks, only a mere pup cradled against his mother's breast as she panted and howled for her mate to be by her side. His father did eventually find them, once she had washed the pup by the river he had been born by and he was wrapped in the fur of his grandfather. His father had been a great dog general, though as every son's wish, he had surpassed his father's skill and strength – made an empire in his name that had vibrated through his enemies spines with fear. Sesshomaru wore his grandfather's pelt now, or at least a part of it. Inu tradition had the grandson possess the fur of the father before his father, the reminder of legacies beyond his own as often the grandson had never met his father as inuyoukai tended to breed later in life.

InuTaisho pulled his robes back on and settled in a large tree, his limbs hanging down lazily as he mulled over the scenery before him. Darkeness had settled over the edge of Setsuna. To the right there was the faintest of lights – the village watch towers, perhaps the capital of which the fair maiden slept tonight.

It would be a mistake to go and see her. Not only would it be harder when he left her once again, and he would have to leave her. He would never take her as a concubine – she had far too much honour for that, nor could he ever take her as his mate in the eyes of his kind – his son, namely – and he feared what Sesshomaru would do for the sake of his father and heritage. If he fathered a child, he didn't know what he would do with the half-caste, the _hanyou_, if it was a son, Sesshomaru would kill it in competition to taking the lands not soon after it had breathed it's own breath. He would pluck it off her nipple and kill it in front of her. Then again, if it was a daughter he would have a few more options – for her to live in her mother's care. A daughter was no threat to the inheritance of Sesshomaru for the lands. InuTaisho huffed – why was he even thinking such thoughts? It was out of the question anyway. Izayoi had a husband-to-be and he could never be the husband she needed.

So why did his thoughts linger on the woman he could never have? Why did he want to shatter her reality, take her purity for his own and make sure no other man ever got a taste of her? Why did he constantly dream of ripping the robes off her, having them fall in shreds of silk around their bodies and dream of feeling her hands cling to his back as his slid up her hips?

Why did he want to steal her away from everything she had, and why did he get such a thrill from knowing that deep in her mind, right at the back, she couldn't say that she didn't want him to?

InuTaisho stopped his mind running on that thought.

Ikana pulled back the robes for Izyaoi as another maid ran a brush through her tresses. "Did you have a nice day in the sun, my lady?" she asked sweetly.

"I did," nodded Izayoi. "Though I think I stayed out too long – my cheeks are rather pink. I forget how the sun gets sting so quickly."

"Oh my lady," giggled the nurse combing her hair. "Every woman would get cheeks as pinks as yours if the Lord Takemaru spend time with them like he does you!" And then she turned to Ikana and giggled and it was obvious the girls spoke about this in private. "Oh he is one of the cutest samurai I've ever met!" Ikana laughed then and the other maid finished brushing her hair. "Come now, Kyuko-chan, we'll leave Izayoi-hime to retire. Have a pleasant evening, my lady." Ikana bowed by the door.

Izayoi nodded in departing. "To you also, ladies."

A candle burnt softly on top of a set of drawers, which had Izayoi's lighter kimono folded in for the spring and summer months. Most of the winter ones had been packed away by now, wrapped in paper and herbs to keep the weevils out.

The wind battered against the shoji doors and Izayoi got up from her knees to close it. Locking it over, she stretched and yawned and ran her fingers through her long hair before kneeling on the futon. The wind was still howling outside, rattling the shoji as Izayoi slipped into the covers. Soon, she was asleep.

The wind billowed outside for the rest of the night, shaking the blooming Sakura off the tree and depositing a pink blanket of blossoms on the floor of Izayoi's garden. Sometimes when a particularly strong gush rattled the room, she would mutter in her sleep and roll over, not too fazed by the temperamental weather, for it was only wind – it could not hurt her.

Until a fierce wind had her shoji rattling and a gust flew into the room. Izayoi bolted up with a sleepy murmur, rubbing her eyes. The shoji rattled open – but that was strange, had she not locked it previously? Grumbling and pulling her robes across her body, Izayoi shuffled over to grab the shoji doors to close again, the wind whipping against her body and hair, like she was some woman possessed, and then, gently, she felt something brush against her hand – a shadow in the darkness, and her name, whispered so gently but roughly at the same time.

Izayoi froze, her eyes searching the darkness though she'd never see. Sakura blossoms fell from their branches, tumbling to the ground, where a low-lying breeze whipped them into a swell. She felt something, a weight against her shoulders, a nagging lingering against her subconscious and she said, faintly, "I can feel you."

He stepped out of the shadows then, of the trees that covered him, standing tall and proud with a upknot of silver strands whipping behind him. His face was hard, his eyes were piercing and when his tongue darted out to lick his dry lips, it looked like he wanted to eat her whole. "I am not surprised," he replied, his voice sounding more demonic than ever. "It's the full moon – my demonic powers reach their peak tonight. I should not even be here if the demonic power within the pit of my stomach is so strong, even you can feel it, it must be rather obvious to those trained to be keen to it." Then he chuckled darkly. "No matter, they will be used to my presence soon enough, I will be around for quite a while."

She exhaled a shaky breath and held onto the shoji for support. "What are you doing here?"

He chuckled and looked to the ground, to the Sakura blossom that landed on his boot. "I don't know, my legs moved before I had time to stop them, and when I did stop them, I was here. Can't say I mind though, you look as ravishing as ever."

The hime backed up at his words, the mere tone sending shivers down her spine and whispered, "And what are you going to do now?"

InuTaisho laughed softly at the woman's wary expression. Her scent laden in the air told him she was confused, a little scared at how the demonic power seemed to ooze from his pores and the way his gaze fixated on her. In her chest, he heard her heart fluttering. "Am I such a monster, my flower?" she shook her head slightly, and suddenly, InuTaisho closed the distance between them, causing the woman to gasp as he leapt onto the patio, a mere inch from her.

* * *

><p>Thanks to the reviewers:<p>

**The-Aquamarine-Amulet****, ****Ink on a Page****, ****Yasnactic****, ****Wolflover235****, ****ProlongedDemoness****, ****abbywaddles, ****LifeandFire25**, and **kate.**

Thanks to one and all and I hope to hear from you all again.

Please **review**!

**~ Arlia'Devi **


	10. Part 10: Celestial Reckoning

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, all rights go to Rumiko Takahashi and associates. I make no money from this.

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

**Part X: Celestial Reckoning**

_InuTaisho laughed softly. "Am I such a monster, my flower?" she shook her head slightly, and suddenly, InuTaisho closed the distance between them, causing the woman to gasp as he leapt onto the patio, a mere inch from her._

"My lord?" Izayoi said, her breath suddenly coming out in short even hitches.

He smiled at her gently, but the gesture didn't abate the hunger and demonic gaze radiating from his haunting, burning amber eyes. They were piercing, smouldering, like the fire that burnt within him was reflected into them. It was the new moon – her lord never acted this way.

Yet Izayoi didn't fear him, and realised he had asked her a question, "N-no," she replied shakily and he took a small strand of her hair before rubbing it between his finger and thumb, then running it down the length of the lock. "What are you doing here?"

"I already told you," he whispered huskily. "These lands will be mine – Izayoi, your life is in danger."

"What?" she reeled back and saw the flash in InuTaisho's eyes. "You promised me!"

"You would rather be in the clutches of another demon?" he growled. "The Lord of the North is taking over the lands, Izayoi – the only way I could defeat him is to seize these Southern lands." His temperament calmed a little and he said in a hushed tone, "I couldn't stand it if you got hurt. Please understand the Lord of the Southern Lands is old and frail – if I did not take them, the Lord of the North would have and I would never see your beautiful face again, Izayoi."

"Please, InuTaisho," she twisted her head away from his hands. "I am to be married."

The moon was high in the sky by that point and it was obviously having a substantial effect on the demon lord beside her. "But you don't want to be," he murmured against the shell of her ear. "You want to be with me, you want to be my lover," a hand dropped from Izayoi's jaw to drag down her shoulder and arm. She shivered. "You said so yourself."

"Stop this," she said, attempting to squirm from his grasp, but he suddenly had a tight hold of her, around the waist with a hand on her shoulder. "My lord!" she seethed. "Let me go."

"Tell me you wanted me," he growled out. "Just once, Izayoi."

"What will that prove, I can never be with you?" she hissed and attempted to push him away. "Please, just leave me alone."

InuTaisho let her go at that and stalked back out into the garden. The moonlight hit his back and he felt the pull of his demonic nerves. This night, he truly was his strongest.

Izayoi stumbled back into the room, keeping an eye on the demon lord that just stood now, stood under the hanging trees unmoving, silent as the moonlight spilt onto his back. Her gut churned and she wondered if tomorrow she would hear that the miko had felt an unnerving aura about. If she could feel a small tinge within herself emanating from this man, then Ikana, who said was more intoned to such things…

But InuTaisho was unmoving, but his armour fell up and down heavily over his shoulders as he breathed in and out. Izayoi stood by the shoji a moment more, her legs shaking and her brain running so fast it was impossible to tell what she was thinking. The Lord remained static, and as Izayoi inched off the shoji door and onto the patio, he was unmoving.

Slowly, she inched down the steps, her eyes still glued to the demon with his back to her – she noticed very keenly the sword attached to his hip. When her foot, just the sock, without _geta_ touched the ground, however, she lunged forward, running for the man who could flee so instantly. No, this couldn't be the last time they would ever meet. She wouldn't allow it to be like this. Izayoi threw herself onto his back, her arms wrapping around his waist to rest on his chest and cried into the silk of his robes.

"Izayoi," his voice was tender.

"Please forgive me," she wept. "I had wanted you, I had wanted you so much I would give away this life if only you'd ask me, but you knew my duty, even when I wanted to ignore it."

InuTaisho turned in her embrace and tucked Izayoi's head under his chin, burying his nose into her hair. She smelt of spring, of daylight and flowers, of purity and freshness and he allowed one claw that circled around her back to press her body against his. "I'm sorry Izayoi," he replied, his voice rougher. "I shouldn't have come tonight."

"No," she smiled and shook her head. "It's alright, I know how lonely it can get – I feel the same way sometimes… I still think of you."

He said nothing then. He wondered if Takemaru had ever held the maiden like this – if she had ever allowed herself to be held by another _man_ – a term he used loosely, as he was nothing of a man tonight, except in body. He chuckled. "If you ever saw what I truly was under this, Izayoi – you would no longer think of me. I would scare you. I, the dog demon general."

"I would not be scared," she replied in a whisper. "I know you would never hurt me, as strong as you were. I don't care what you are InuTaisho, I only know that I wanted to be with you."

He moved out of her embrace, but her hands did not drop back to her sides. Instead, she implored, "My Lord, please stay a little while longer. I see the loneliness in your eyes; I recognise it because it's the same emotion I see in the mirror."

He hesitated.

"InuTaisho," she said his name gently and stepped forward, cupping his cheek with a hand and smoothing the pad of her thumb over his cheekbone. Gently, he leant into her touch. "Stay a little longer."

"I shouldn't," he replied, covering her hand with his own claw. She was so small, soft and smooth. He wondered if she was like that all over, and then knew he would never find out. "I need to go, Izyaoi."

"Will you be back?" she asked gently, dropping her hand to rest on his breastplate. His demon had seemed to calm.

InuTaisho looked into the wind and said, "Maybe," he said. "By tomorrow, these lands will belong to me. I will be spending quite a lot of time consolidating and protecting the south-west borders."

She smiled gently but said nothing, dropping her hand from his breastplate. Then InuTaisho asked, "And what of Takemaru?"

Izyaoi shrugged a little. "This does not concern him." She gave him a fleeting look that made InuTaisho's blood bubble a little, and she received a smouldering liquid topaz gaze in return. Without a word then, Izayoi made her way back to the manor, climbing up the steps to the patio and closing the shoji behind her. InuTaisho disappeared in an instant.

* * *

><p>There were rumours flittering about the manor when Izayoi rose the next morning. Ikana looked very distressed indeed and Takemaru was trying to reassure the maids that there was nothing going on. In the tea room were also two mikos who were looking instantly worried. Both bowed upon Izyaoi entering, "My lady, we are glad you are well," one of then said, Soyara, and then the other, Erina said, "We felt a terrible disturbance last night – it was the full moon, most demons are more active than usual, but we felt a horrible aura settling around the manor last night. We worried that all was not well."<p>

"All is well," Takemaru assured the fretting nurses and priestesses. "I do not know what the aura was, but it must be all but gone now."

"I sensed it also," Ikana gasped, "It was so frightening. It felt like it was on top of me, suffocating, really."

Takemaru approached Izyaoi then, his eyes fretting over her face and features obviously in concern. "You are feeling alright?" he asked gently, tenderly, she realised.

"Yes, my lord," Izayoi nodded. "And you?"

"Fine," he replied and adjusted the armour on his shoulder. Outside, his horse was ready for mounting. The mikos must have arrived, previously interrupting him.

"My lady may have come down with a curse from the bad air," Soyara approached Izayoi and did a once over.

"If it truly was a curse, I hardly think I would be walking around as I am," she replied as Soyara took a step back. Apparently, touching didn't linger demonic auras and for that she was thankful. She would remind InuTaisho to be discreet next time, but it was the full moon, and the effect it had on him one only needed to look into his eyes and see how they smouldered and flashed like fire. Energy dripped from his fingertips, it leaked from his pores.

"Where are you going, my lord?" Izayoi inquired Takemaru as the priestesses and the nurses moved off to have tea. Takemaru took off the helmet he had previously put on as Izayoi walked onto the deck.

"For a ride – scouting around for suspicious people. The worst kind of demons are those who take the form of humans like ourselves," he said, pushing his sword through his belt and then mounting the tawny coloured war horse.

"Be careful," Izayoi implored. Takemaru offered a nod of acknowledgement before riding the stallion away.

A priestess, Erina, approached her from behind. "My lady?"

"Yes?" Izayoi turned around. Erina was a tall woman – around the same age as Izayoi, but with shorter hair and pulled back at the base of her skull in a typical miko tie. She wore the red and white traditional robes and her sandals were by the door.

"That aura…," she muttered and bit her lip. "I've felt it around here before, many months ago. It's all but gone by now, but I worry for your safety – for the safety of this manor. I was wondering if you would allow me to put up some ofudas. They'll protect you against any demons that attempt to infiltrate the manor."

Izayoi nodded and the miko set to work, burning incense and sealing the manor from any type of demon, and then she asked, "and this will keep the demons out?"

"Yes, my lady," the miko smoothed the first to the wall.

"And the strong ones?" she inquired.

"Yes, my lady," replied Erina. "No demon will be able to get past the manor walls with these in place. They will be rendered completely immobile."

Izayoi nodded and left the priestesses to their devices, the incense pungent in the air. Her father was drinking tea and being tended to three maids. He was getting so much older, and she slipped into the tea room and took up the pot, pouring him another cup. "Father," she murmured as the maid scuttled away. "Did you feel the aura last night."

"No," he said. "Ikana told me about it this morning, but I didn't believe her until Takemaru came out. I thought she was crying wolf, but Takemaru seemed shaken. You did not feel it, Izyaoi?"

"No, father," she murmured. "Are you worried?"

"These priestesses know what they're doing," he assured as he drank. "But Takemaru was worried about you, my flower."

Izyaoi nodded and poured her father another cup of tea, he said, "I want you to be married before I leave this earth."

"Don't be foolish father," she whispered. "You're not going anywhere."

Her father frowned and shook her head. "I just want you to be looked after before I leave this world, Izyaoi. I don't want you having to do anything on your own – that your safe with a good husband."

Izyaoi nodded. "I know, father, but I'm just not ready to be married yet." And then her voice lowered, "and you think Takemaru is a good man for me?"

"Takemaru thinks the world of you, my dear. I would hardly think you could ever find someone better for yourself. Why, do you not think so?"

"No, it's not that father," she sighed. "It doesn't matter, really. I just wanted to know your thoughts."

The Old Lord nodded before he was helped up from the sitting cushion and said, "I'm going out to sit in the sun – it's been raining lately and it will be nice to sit out in the garden." Izayoi nodded and her father slid open the screen, slipped on his sandals and headed down to the lush gardens.

The priestesses had left an hour before Takemaru arrived back to the manor, and spent the next half an hour preparing his horse for the night, so it was dark before he ventured into the house and sat down for dinner.

"So the priestesses put up an ofuda, hm?" he inquired over dinner with Izayoi and her father.

"Yes," Izayoi nodded. "Perhaps we should have put them on earlier – they asked if I was possessed, but I believe I would be ill already if I was, fevering and sweats. I feel fine."

"I'm glad you are well," Takemaru smiled. "Perhaps we should get to planning the wedding? I've been here a month already, Izayoi."

The princess nodded and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't realise you felt that way. I didn't want to rush. You have only just gotten settled."

Takemaru straightened up then. "Of course my lady, I didn't mean to be so forward… I just… Nevertheless there was nothing of interest in the village –a few elders were shaken up over the demonic aura that settled overnight, but I assured them that nothing had come of it. They blamed it on the new moon, which often hightens demonic auras."

"The miko said that as well."

"It just chills me to know what horrid beings lurk in the shadows of the forest." Takemaru frowned and put down his bowl, his dinner finished. "Sorry," he bowed an took his exit. "I'm unnerved. I think I am going to go and do a scout around."

"Please be careful," Izayoi implored and Takemaru nodded.

The night was long and Izayoi retired early. Outside, she heard Takemaru tie up his horse yet again and some stable hands settle the horse in for the night. Ikana had gone to bed early as well, exhausted from the ordeals with the priestesses today. Izayoi had to wonder the authenticity of all that – no doubt the seals probably did work, but she held little faith in being able to hold back one so strong as the dog demon lord.

She supposed, however, soon she would find out just how strong the ofuda were.

She wouldn't have to wait long, it seemed.

"I'm offended," InuTaisho pouted as he held the ripped ofuda off a claw, it's spiritual effects having little effect on him as he stood tall and strong on her shoji. "If you did not want to see me, you could have said so, my flower. I would have left you alone eventually."

"I didn't put it there," Izayoi said, slipping out of the futon. "The priestesses felt your aura around last night – you were rather sloppy regarding such."

"Icy tonight," InuTaisho grinned. Izayoi huffed. "You don't care how the acquisitions went?"

"No."

"They went well, thank you dearest," InuTaisho smiled softly. "I know possess the Western and the Southern lands. That means that technically this manor and its inhabitants belong to me. Of course, I'll have to linger around and tell the residents of the land who their new lord is, but I'm sure I'll be happy spending my nights in balmy Setsuna."

He walked out into the garden then, and Izayoi followed him. His sword was tied neatly in his sash, but his armour was a little dusty. As he sat down on a bench, he began to unbuckle it and Izayoi said, "I have never known you to take off your armour."

His shoulder plate and breastplate rested on the ground and the demon smiled gently. "I'll put it back on if you believe I may have something to fear in these parts, Izayoi. I had only anticipated your words would wound me tonight, and they seem to penetrate my armour anyway, so I decided I wouldn't have extra weight over my shoulders."

Izyaoi's eyes dropped to the ground. "I'm sorry I offend you sometimes, my lord. I don't wish to."

"It's alright, Izayoi," he hummed. She came to sit by him on the bench, her hand resting gently on his arm. Eventually he said, "I'm sorry for the way I acted last night. It was out of line. You're betrothed and I am a fool if I ever wanted you to be mine."

Izayoi remained silent for a moment, suddenly becoming very interested in her knees. "Do you?" she eventually said and he replied quizzically, "Do I what?"

"Still want me to be yours?" she asked shallowly, almost ashamed.

He sighed and looked at her gently. "It doesn't matter if I ever wanted you to be mine, Izayoi – you can't be."

She shook her head and scrunched her nose. "I know this is crazy, my lord. But…," she sighed shakily and suddenly she realised she didn't have to say anything because InuTaisho's hands were touching her knee, slithering up gently. "… You are the Lord of these lands," she whispered.

"I am," he whispered heatedly against her ear. Since when had he gotten so close to her.

"Everything West and South is yours…," she gasped.

"They are…"

She was keenly aware of his hand gliding up her body. "My lord, you will ruin me," his hand was caressing her cheek now and his eyes were half-lidded as smouldering. His body almost covered hers on the bench. "If I was with you… no man would ever touch me."

"I know," he replied huskily. "It's good. You are mine Izayoi, and you know you are mine as well. I saw the lord Takemaru scouting the forest tonight. I could have snapped his neck. He shouldn't be so reckless – so proud."

She screwed her eyes shut as his clawed hand rested on her hip. "Please don't hurt him," she whispered. "He's done nothing wrong." And that was true, Izyaoi smelt untouched – well, she had before he had put his hands all over her. But he couldn't help it, she was so divine – how was she of this world? She couldn't be. He'd never known someone to be as beautiful, to smell the way she did. Wordlessly he tugged her from where she was resting uncomfortably on the bench to a standing position and she leant against his body.

"Izayoi," he whispered, his lips inches from hers. "If we're…. if this is going to happen…"

"We don't want to be with anyone but each other," she whispered and buried her hands into the silk of his robes. "We can't help what the kami have planned for us."

"We should speak about this more," he tried to reason, but his mind was telling him not to. In fact, his mind was wondering how hard the ground would be against Izayoi's back should he push her down…

"Mmm," she hummed gently and then closed her eyes. The Inu no Taisho moved in closer, his eyes fluttering shut. It was hypnotic – he knew it was wrong, but it made it all the more thrilling. For so long she had told him he couldn't have her, now, she was willing to give everything she was. Hours and hours of exhaustion, trying to rationalise why it would never work, Myoga's warnings, they were all meaningless when he pressed his lips against hers softly. Deliciously.

"My lady!" a gasp suddenly snapped InuTaisho out of his thoughts and he snarled as the woman in his arms snapped her head back to the shoji of her room and saw Ikana standing, wide-eyed at the scene she had stumbled in on.

"Ikana," Izayoi warned as she grasped InuTaisho's forearms as the demon growled at the woman. Ikana stumbled back into the room and started to stumble. "Lord Take-," and that was as far as she got before, like lightning, InuTaisho grasped the scruff of her yukata and clamped a claw over her mouth and whispered in her ear, "struggle and I will kill you."

Ikana squealed and InuTaisho brought her over to Izyaoi. The princess locked eyes with her nurse maid and said, "InuTaisho… don't hurt her. She won't tell anyone, will you, Ikana?"

Ikana shook her head furiously and kicked her legs, which had been taken out in accounting for the height of the general when he stood. InuTaisho was livid, Izayoi could tell.

"Dearest," she murmured and touched his arm gently. "Please, put her down. She won't tell anyone, InuTaisho."

"InuTaisho," she squirmed and screamed. "Lord of the West! Armpgh!"

InuTaisho growled and clamped his hand back over Ikana's mouth. "What are we supposed to do with her, Izayoi?"

"Don't hurt her," Izayoi implored. "She won't tell anyone will you, Ikana?"

Ikana shook her head again and InuTaisho dropped her on the ground, keeping a firm arm around her shoulder and dropping his hand from her mouth. Ikana was shaking and InuTaisho roughly transferred her to her hime's possession. Ikana fell into her lady's open arms, crying and sinking to her knees. InuTaisho watched with hard eyes at the display. "I should go," he bit out.

Izayoi nodded and cradled the young nurse, who was shaking. Izayoi gave the demon lord a significant look, but he remained emotionless. In an instant, he was gone, and it was only Ikana and Izayoi in the secret garden.

* * *

><p>Ikana stumbles in on them – oh no, what a horrible interruption! Thanks to the reviewers, <strong>The-Aquamarine-Amulet<strong>**, ****kate, ****LifeandFire25****, ****ProlongedDemoness****, ****Wolflover235** and **KiwiWitch**.

Thanks for reading and please leave a quick **review**!

**~ Arlia'Devi**


	11. Part 11: Cosmic Decisions

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, all rights go to Rumiko Takahashi and associates. I make no money from this.

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

**Part XI: Cosmic Decisions**

Ikana would not look Izyaoi in the eyes the following morning as the maid rolled up the futon and helped the Setsuna princess get ready for the day. The other maids chatted and discussed the days plans avidly, they didn't seemed to notice the younger maid's silence, or how she kept eyeing the princess when Izyaoi turned her back.

_A demon… The princess has bedded a demon… I knew it the moment I felt it in the air; this is no ordinary demon. The Lord of the West. And what of Takemaru?_

"Thank you ladies," Izayoi smiled as the women bowed before leaving the quarters. Ikana was with them, before Izayoi said gently, setting down her hairbrush. "Ikana, will you stay a moment?"

"Of course my lady," she replied, while her stomach settled with a horrible weight. The other maids, oblivious to everything that had happened, left without a second thought. Ikana sunk to her knees by the doorway. Izayoi finished brushing her hair.

"You know he will kill you. I would have no power to stop him," she stated gravely. "I care for you Ikana, you have always been loyal, and… less than a nurse, but more a sister of mine."

"Then please, make it sisterly advice: sever ties with that demon, Izayoi-hime, he brings nothing but evil," Ikana implored desperately, her hands flat on the floor. "I feel it in the air. You'll be cursed."

Izayoi smiled gently and applied wax balm to her lips. "I cannot do that, Ikana. I hope you understand. I ask you to remain calm when he comes. Stay in your quarters and away from mine."

"And what of Takemaru, Izayoi-hime?" she asked quietly, finding a lot of interest in the grooves in the tatami mats under her fingers.

"Allow me to worry about Takemaru, Ikana…," she replied calmly before rising to her feet. "I care for you very much. I do not want you hurt if I can prevent it. My Lord is kind and gentle, but please do not risk your life for something that does not concern you."

"And what of your life, Izayoi-hime?" Ikana asked bitterly. "What of you? He is a monster, from the fires of hell. He is not a man, of this I know. I have seen what he is on scrolls, the great dog demon who took the Western lands. When I lived by the Western border with my parents as an infant, I heard his howls batter the walls of our hut. My father would say, 'That is InuTaisho – he howls of his latest conquest, Ikana-chan, do not go out, not while there is a demon around.' I implore you, leave him. Be with Takemaru."

"I cannot do that, Ikana," Izayio replied.

Ikana's eyes widened. Was she with his child? A hanyou child? "Why, my lady? Why?" she cried.

Izayoi took in a sharp breath, "I love him too much."

"He does not love you," Ikana shouted. "Demons cannot love. They feel nothing but anger and hate, they desire nothing more than the shedding of blood."

"Maybe," Izayoi replied. "That might be true, but I know this one is different, Ikana."

"How do you know you're not under his spell, Izayoi-hime?"

Izayoi smiled gently, "And if I am, I do not mind." And with that, Izayoi slipped past her nurse, into the foyer and greeted Takemaru with a gentle smile.

"You look radiant this morning," he smiled and shifted closer to her elderly father, to leave a cushion vacant for the princess. "Please, eat some breakfast, beloved."

Izayoi nodded and took a bowl of rice from the pot. It was drizzled with a savoury sort of sauce, and delicious. She took a few bites before Takemaru said,

"I was wondering if you would accompany me this afternoon," he asked gently, his brown eyes kind and warm. "On horses? Do you know how to ride, my lady?"

"Yes," she nodded, a skill taught to her by her brother.

"Very good then," he smiled eagerly. "There's a lovely place we could have lunch – would you like that? I think you would, it has a lovely stream passing through and at least fifteen different types of wildflower."

"You think it would be safe," she muttered, her eyes dropping. "To go so far out when there are demons around?"

Takemaru chuckled. "I will slay any demon, my lady. Fear little while you're in my presence, Izayoi-hime. So what do you say, shall you accompany me?"

Izayoi looked to her father, who was smiling at Takemaru. "Of course, my Lord."

"Very good," Takemaru said and clicked to usher a maid. "Tell the stable boys to saddle my horse."

"Yes, Takemaru-sama," the maid bowed and exited.

"Have a good afternoon, children," the old lord said with an elderly smile. "I was just speaking to Izayoi a few days ago, Takemaru-san, speaking of a spring wedding."

Takemaru smiled, "Truly Izayoi – I think a spring wedding would be suitable. It is the season of your birth, and you are just as beautiful or more as the sakura blooming in the grassy fields. I think it is the perfect time." The old lord nodded gleefully.

Izayoi smiled gently and said, "If you think that is what's best, my Lord."

Father clapped and said, " Oh yes, we will get the preparations along smoothly. By the end of the week, you should be married."

"End of the week?" Izayoi frowned. "Father, I wish to be married on the first day of summer. The end of the week is just too soon for proper preparations."

"But the end of the spring is a month away, child!" he argued, a little irked yet again his daughter was postponing.

"It's no matter, my Lord," Takemaru replied, taking Izayoi's hand gently. "My lady has set a date, it does not matter how close or how far." Then he looked and smiled down on Izayoi. "I had been worried, dearest, you were avoiding me." He laughed gently. "Come now, the horse is ready."

Izayoi followed Takemaru out to the stables as he lead out his steed, a great brown horse. The horse's strong muscles rippled under his skin and his bridle and reign were made from fine leather. There was a cotton blanket under a crude leather saddle, and Takemaru mounted the horse before reaching down to pull Izayoi into his lap. A stable boy handed a small basket of food and Izayoi nursed it in her lap. The morning was crisp and calm, getting warmer as midday approached.

"End of the summer," he smiled. "Sad – it will turn cold and bitter soon," then he sighed. "But then it will become warm again and beautiful. It'll always turn back around no matter how cold it becomes."

"That's a nice saying," Izayoi said slipping down from the horse as they stopped on a hillside clearing. "But no matter, the winter has its purposes, Takemaru-sama. The sakura must have its beauty sleep, and it makes the ancitipation of spring so much larger, like by the end of suffering through winter, spring is our reward."

"What a lovely reward it is," he breathed in the air in a long, large breath, hands resting on his hips as he looked into the sky. "I'm going to do a quick perimeter check," he stated, tying the horse to a tree branch and grasping the sword on his side. The forest surround wasn't thick, but it was large and deep and shadowy as it moved down the hill – the place for hiding demons. "I'll be back in a moment."

Izayoi nodded and Takemaru began his check on the top of the hill, quite a trek without the horse. When he was a good distance away, the horse began to whinny and seemed very distressed glancing to the forest to the left of him and trodding on the spot.

"Shh…," Izayoi scratched the spooked stallion's nose. "Nothing's there."

The horse snorted and moved around, shuffling back and forth. Izayoi frowned and peered into the forest before looking up the hill – Takemaru was still out of sight and in case a youkai really was hiding in the shadows, she had a small dagger buried in her obi, but she doubt she'd stand a chance.

Fumbling for the small sheathed blade, she tucked the soft leather sheath back into her obi and gripped the small dagger in a tight fist.

Stumbling towards the forest, she wanted to call out to Takemaru, to make a sound and not be so foolish as to head into the forest alone.

Her geta crushed against the sticks and something moved gently in the bushes, though the horse behind her didn't fret. Probably a lizard or mouse, she thought, lowering the dagger. Suddenly, a soft shiver vibrated down her spine and she felt something tug against her, something urging her forward and into the forest.

"Is anyone in there?" she called quietly. Takemaru was still high on the hill.

There was no response, but the tugging feeling didn't dissipate. Not sheathing her small dagger, Izayoi crept forward. The horse had settled down and was eating grass by the base of the shady tree.

Izayoi lurched forward, hiking up the skirts of her dress so they didn't drag along the foliage. She pushed a strand of hair from her face, tucking it behind the shell of her ear. Eventually, she didn't know how long she'd walked for, maybe it had been a few moments, or a few minutes, but after a second she suddenly felt the hairs on the back of her neck prick up and she knew she'd stumbled on something important.

_What could this mean?_ She frowned, a hand rubbing the erect hairs on her neck and forearms, shivering slightly. She felt like she'd stumbled into a winter breeze, but the sun was shining and it was rather warm within in the forest. Such a bizarre feeling – being both hot and cold at the same time.

"Hello?" she frowned, parting a small shrub and stepping into a small shadowy clearing. A large tree was in the middle of the cool meadow, the sun being shaded through the high canopy that stretched higher than the other forest trees.

In the thick branches of the large oak tree were robes of the purest white silk that cascaded down before pooling near the small base. Against the bark was a long string of silver hair, curling and curving as it fell from where it was perched high on a sleeping demons head.

InuTaisho slept peacefully in the large tree, his armour rising and falling rhythmically with his breath, one claw falling by his side and the other resting over his stomach. His legs were crossed as he leant down on a slightly elevated, thicker tree branch. His robes were loose fitting, with his yellow obi slightly untied and dishevelled, falling with his other loosened clothing.

"InuTaisho?" Izayoi wasn't sure he'd heard since he didn't even notice her approach, and he was usually so alert, but suddenly he grunted and moaned lowly in his throat, shifting in the branch to stretch. She heard and saw his nose twitch as he sniffed the air.

"Izayoi…," he said gently, not fazed by the woman's approach. "How did you find me?"

"I do not know," she replied, approaching him. He rubbed his eye as she leant against the tree trunk. "This is where you sleep?"

He nodded. "It's more comfortable than it looks."

"Really?" she asked.

InuTaisho jumped off the branch and began to stretch. "What are you doing out here? I smell the human lord – is he with you? You did not venture out here on your own, did you?"

"No," Izayoi replied. "He's doing a perimeter check. I felt the same kind of shiver I do whenever your around, I thought maybe if I followed it, I would be lead to you. I was right."

"The human is wasting his time – demons won't come within a fifty metre radius from where I am resting. You must possess slight miko powers, my flower, to sense something so strong in the air Takemaru cannot. And your handmaid, she must be dealt with."

"You're not leaving are you?" Izayoi asked.

A small smug smile graced the demon lords' face. "You don't want me to leave?"

"No," she shook her head. "I wish for you to stay, stay as long as you can."

"And what will you do with this human lord – I can kill him," InuTaisho offered causally. "It won't take very long. Just say it was an accident. He was attacked by a demon in the forest, but he sent you back on the horse to safety. It will be a very honourable death. We may not even get blood on your beautiful kimono, Izayoi…. Maybe I'll even find a demon that the villagers can kill as to 'avenge' the young lord."

"He doesn't deserve that," Izayoi frowned. "And I'll hear nothing more of it."

InuTaisho moved in closer so that Izayoi had to crane her head up to look at him in his smouldering topaz eyes. He looked hungry and feral, and Izayoi wondered if he'd eaten today. With one claw, he reached up and caressed a stray piece of ebony hair that fell to brush her cheek.

"Don't be so foolish to think he'll just let you go," he murmured darkly, the rasp in his voice suddenly a lot deeper. Izayoi felt her skin shiver into goosebumps. "No man would ever let you go so easily, princess. You are a lone flower growing in a dead forest. And no man will ever let the flower be with the monster."

"You're not a monster," she replied. "You're not like other demons; you have a heart and a soul and I won't be told otherwise. I don't want to be with Takemaru any longer. I will tell him when I return. I want to be with you, if you'll have me. Be the lord of our lands, InuTaisho, and I'll be your mistress."

InuTaisho frowned and moved his finger to brush against her cheek. "You will not, or will you ever me my mistress," he spat at the word. "If this is what you truly wish, then I will grant you it. Be my lover, my lady for the time of your lifespan and I will treat you well, protect you from those who want to harm you, take care of you, live like the hime you are, my flower." His eyes were earnest and he searched through hers for an answer he seeked. "Is this what you want? Is this what you _really_ want? There will be a lot of danger, and times when I may not be by your side. Have you thought this over?"

She nodded. "I don't know what will happen," she admitted lowly. "All I know is that I want to be with you."

"It won't be easy."

She shook her head. "I don't want it to be easy."

He was about to reply something when the demon lord suddenly caught something and jerked upright, scanning the surroundings. With an audible growl in his throat that had birds squawking in the trees around him, he said,

"The human lord is looking for you. You should go," he grunted and dropped his hand from the princess' cheek.

"But…," she was about to rebut when InuTaisho said,

"Meet me by the stream where we first met, we'll discuss your wishes more, dove," he murmured gently, softly edging her forward with a hand on the small of her back.

She nodded and then crouched through the parted foliage held up by InuTaisho's strong arm. "I'll be there," she replied quietly in parting before disappearing and following the calls of her name by Takemaru to guide her back to the clearing.

* * *

><p>For a long time, he watched in silence the precessions of the human lord and his human woman from a high tree branch. She was a true beauty under the sun, her long ebony hair that smelt sweet and her soft, yielding figure. The silk robes she wore were smooth, but InuTaisho couldn't help but wonder how the body felt underneath those spectacular robes; even better probably.<p>

There was something about her smell, sweet and perfect, though with that strange musky smell of human mixed into it. Her eyes were nothing he could describe, big and sparkling, like a large lake, but with a hue similar to the tree bark, or the damp earth beneath his feet. He sighed into the tree and wondered how such a creature could possibly want to be his. The human would be easy enough to get rid of if only she'd allow, but her heart wanted nothing to come to the man and he didn't dare cross Izayoi's heart. Her conditionless love was something InuTaisho could not fathom – how she could still care for the human man, want his wellbeing and happiness even though he was touching something that belonged to someone else.

For a moment, InuTaisho's thoughts drifted to his son, Sesshomaru. True, the young demon prince would not take kindly to his father being with a human woman, since, it was true, he had been confused and annoyed when InuTaisho had stopped seeing his mother, The Lady. True, in many youkai's eyes, Izayoi would never be InuKimi, and thus could never be the Lady of his Lordship, but that mattered not to him and her. He only wanted her to be in his life, to warm his bed and be his companion and friend for the short time she would live. If she was willing to devote her life like that, to never go back to her land and manor if he so wished, give up the human man – the safe man, for a life with a youkai.

_Youkai whore… filthy woman… devil lady… wench of the beasts…_

And yet, when he looked at her smiling in the midday sun amongst a field of small wildflowers, he thought of none of that. He simply thought of Izayoi and her wonderful smile. Maybe. Maybe this could work, if he tried hard enough.

_My darling..._

* * *

><p>Thanks to those guys who have been waiting so patiently for this chapter! It was such a late one because I couldn't find the inspiration or time to actually sit down and write it. Now, obviously, I have! There are still many unanswered questions though, and they'll be covered next chapter but for now, I'd like to thank those wonderful people who reviewed the last chapter!<p>

**DreamOrNightmare, SweetestChick, Onyx Maxwell, Ink on a Page, Vixenia, InuNoTashioxIzayoi, Nana, abbywaddles, Mi Ling Chi, Emi Sae Rin, ProlongedDemoness, Konoha's Hanyou Kunoichi, Wolflover235** and **kate **

I don't think I ever had that many people review on one chapter for this story before! Amazing! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and please take the time to leave a quick review before you go!

**~ Arlia'Devi**


	12. Part 12: The Midnight Sun

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, all rights go to Rumiko Takahashi and associates. I make no money from this.

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

**Part XII: The Midnight Sun**

Was she crazy for doing this? Izayoi calmed her breathing. Takemaru sat drinking tea in the sitting room – a moment of solitary relaxation he was enjoying while Izayoi hid behind the screens, her hands clutching the silk robes at her chest. Could she really do this? What was she going to say? What would Takemaru do? What would her father do.

_I can't do this…_ she shook her head. _Not now…_

"Izayoi?"

The hime snapped her head up to see Takemaru.

"Takemaru…," she stuttered, flustered at being caught out so.

"Is something the matter?" he asked gently. "You seem worried, Izayoi-hime."

She shook her head. "Nothing is the matter, Takemaru," she said with a smile. "I only came to thank you for the afternoon we had together – I enjoyed it very much."

Takemaru gave a dazzling smile. "I'm glad, Izayoi-hime. It's late, I wish you a good night's sleep." He bowed deeply then, and turned to leave.

"Yes," she nodded. "A good night's sleep indeed." She sucked in a sharp breath and turned back to her room. It was early evening, time to retire and Ikana had placed her bedding on the ground. The shoji in her room was fastened tightly and outside, the wind rustled through the trees. It was a calm night, a strangely calm night – almost haunting with the moon, only a few nights from being full, heavy in the sky. Izayoi supressed a shiver and clenched her mouth tightly.

_Meet me by the stream where we first met, we'll discuss your wishes more, dove…_

Izayoi swallowed thickly as she unlocked the shoji and slipped on her _geta_, which rested on the patio. Was InuTaisho waiting for her by the stream? she wondered. Her stomach clenched – did she have the courage to do this?

Her legs began to move – to walk, despite the internal conflicts in her mind. If only she could see him, if only she didn't have to make the choice herself she knew it would be easier. If only she didn't know as much as she did – if she was ignorant to InuTaisho's wishes to kill Takemaru, of Takemaru's affections for her… but she wasn't- she knew everything and couldn't…

"Izayoi."

The purr made her breathing hitch in her throat. It was so deep, sensual and utterly dangerous.

Izayoi turned to see the general by the stream – the stream they had first met, and watched as he approached her, as lithe and gracefully as any celestial being. He wore his usual garments, the white and silver robe that flowed from his body, only fastened by a brightly coloured obi, and his battle armour – so daunting with the iron spikes and scales that protected his breast.

"Izayoi," he said, his voice gentler, less feral. But it was his eyes, glistening amber and soft – malleable and Izayoi could see everything he was, finally. His need and want for her, his worries and fears, the need for her to accept him, all shining through eyes that were usually so hard. He brought a clawed hand to her cheek, dragging it across her soft skin and Izyaoi knew she'd made up her mind.

"I want to be with you," she whispered. "If you'll have me, my lord."

He nodded once. "There's much to discuss…"

Izayoi shook her head, smiling as she rose to her tiptoes. "We can talk later," she murmured before placing a gentle kiss on his lips. "Please, InuTaisho."

"My love…," he groaned and pushed her away.

Izayoi stumbled backwards, her throat constricting – was he rejecting her, after all this time? Was that his plan. She shook her head and felt tears prick the back of her eyes. Izayoi looked up to see InuTaisho straighten back up, his armour resting against the stream-side willow's trunk.

"Is this what you truly desire, my dearest?" he murmured gently, his lips dangerously close to hers. Izayoi could only whimper and nod before she felt her feet fall from under her and registered blearily they were in flight and heading into the forest.

"I wanted somewhere we can speak privately," he murmured, resting Izayoi's body beside his, lying on the cool spring evening grass. Above, the moon shone into the forest clearing. It made InuTaisho look heavenly, the way his silver hair shone in the moonlight, and it accented the stripes on his cheeks, those that marked his heritage. The dog general glowed under the moonlight – the midnight sun, and he, the celestial being of the night.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he chuckled gently and pushed a strand of hair from her face. "Please, Izayoi, tell me."

She blushed, mortified she'd been staring so. "You're so beautiful, my lord."

InuTaisho smiled and leant to kiss the human. "I'm glad you think so," he murmured. "I've never…," he groaned as Izayoi kissed him fiercely. "Please, Izayoi," He panted. "We should talk first… I could… never let you go once I have you; you have to know that."

Izyaoi whimpered as InuTaisho began kissing down her throat. Her hands fisted in his silver pony tail and the base of his neck. Izayoi's body was quivering. She'd never felt pleasure like this – sinful, beautiful pleasure. The demon Lord's mouth was hot and he was careful with his fangs, though every now and then, his teeth would graze the skin of her neck and jawline and she'd shiver from pure pleasure.

"I don't want to talk," she whimpered as InuTaisho's hand moved down the length of the kimono's collar. He loosened it from the obi with a tug, revealing more neckline and chest to work with. He took the skin eagerly. She was so soft, he'd never experienced anything like it. Coupling with his wife had always been harsh and fast, he'd never had a partner so soft or so attentive to his actions. All her gasps and moans vibrated through his ears, and her hands were never still, roaming over his shoulders and neck, into his hair gripping and pulling it. InuTaisho groaned – this woman was making him crazy.

A hand began tugging at Izayoi's obi. It was tied tightly and InuTaisho suppressed the urge to slice right through it – that would only arouse suspicious back at the manor. Eventually, it fell loose under his clothes, loosening the kimono so a long strip of porcelain skin fell open, down between Izayoi's breasts and ribs. He was transfixed on that place and his tongue moved to dart out and moisten his lips.

To Izayoi, he looked hungry – ferocious and hungry. She shivered as his hand grazed her stomach, pushing on side of the robe away to reveal her right breast to him. Gently, he traced around the nipple, listening as Izayoi whimpered and moaned under his hand. Her hips twisted as her thighs pressed together. Izayoi's brow knotted and she screwed her eyes tightly to the pleasurable ministrations of her demon lover.

When he took her into his mouth, Izayoi couldn't stifle the cry. Her hand in his pony tail gripped it tightly. Her head thrashed back and forth and the pressure between her legs began to grow.

"Izayoi." The vibrations against her skin from the demon's voice made her cry out again.

InuTaisho knelt back up, unfastening the swords from his obi and laying them in arms reach. Then he untied the obi, letting the white and purple robes falling loose. Izayoi watched, her breathing heavy and her chest heaving.

"Are you sure you want this, my dove?" he asked, a clawed hand caressing her face. "There's no going back after this – you will be mine."

She nodded and swallowed thickly. "This is what I want. I know."

He nodded solemnly. "If that man… touches you…," he kissed her fiercely. "I'll kill him."

"Please," she implored, kissing her lover gently as he positioned himself over her body. "Let's not speak of him. InuTaisho, I'm yours as long as you'll have me…"

He smiled earnestly. Perhaps it should have been chilling with the desire swirling in his eyes, and his canines on display, but Izyaoi thought it to be the sweetest smile she'd seen grace her lord's face.

InuTaisho traced patterns gently on the bare hip of his human lover, watching as she dozed gently in his embrace. She was physically spent and sore. The air was heavy with love making and her blood – no longer was she pure, thus the sticky red liquid that marred the inside of her creamy thighs. She'd cried and it had been painful for her, but he'd made it up to her, thrice-fold.

"Darling," he murmured, smoothing her ebony locks down her back.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright? How do you feel?" he bent his head to look in her eyes. The princess smiled at her demon general.

"Fine. A little sore," she admitted.

"Can we talk now?"

Izayoi hid her head ashamed – she'd been so foolish. Could she have acted any more like a whore? A demon's whore, she shook her head. He'd wanted to talk and she'd been so forward.

"I'm sorry my lord, you wanted to talk beforehand. I shouldn't have been so debase."

InuTaisho laughed heartily then. "Did you hear me complaining, my dearest?" he kissed her shoulder. "But there are pressing matters we need to discuss."

"Yes, my lord."

He straightened up, using a bent arm to cushion his head as Izayoi rested on his chest. "I know a lot of dangerous people, Izayoi, but I would never put you in dangerous position if I didn't think I could protect you. I want you to stay here, at the manor."

She nodded. "I will, my lord."

A claw gently ran down her spine, a light scratching pressure that made his lover gasp and arch her back.

"My son has little tolerance for humans," he murmured. "His name is Sesshomaru. He will not be pleased." The demon lord looked very seriously at the woman. "He may come after you. I may not be here to protect you if that happens."

"What can I do?" she murmured.

"Know a monk who can make spiritual sutras strong enough to keep me away – my son is still very young, he's far beneath my power. Give me a moment, I'll fetch some tomorrow. They'll be better than the sad excuses your village miko put up." He chuckled at that. "They would barely keep out the forest vermin, let alone any demon who posed a threat to you." A claw moved hair away from her face.

She smiled against his chest. Underneath his skin, she heard his gut churning, digesting his last meal. She wondered what demons ate – since he didn't have much of a liking for human food.

"My Lord," she whispered. "What will happen now?"

"What do you mean, Izayoi?" he rumbled.

"My Lord," she mumbled, embarrassed. "Do you _love_ me?"

He was silent for a moment and Izayoi was sure she'd made a fool of herself. She hoped she hadn't angered InuTaisho when suddenly he replied,

"Izayoi – how could I not love you?" then he laughed. "You think everything that we're doing was not based on love... do you not love me?"

Izayoi shook her head. "I do, my lord." She'd admitted it. _Everyone was wrong... he... they can love._

He kissed her gently.

"Come then," he murmured, grabbing haphazardly thrown garments. "You should get back – you need your rest, dearest. I'll take you to a stream first. You should clean yourself."

She swallowed thickly and got to her feet. She was sore and shaking and the daiyoukai wrapped a soft fur boa around her body.

"It's soft," she smiled.

"It's my fur," he replied. "Its tradition – the first coat is always the softest. This boa is over one thousand years old. Come," he urged her to follow him back into the woods.

Izayoi landed back on the patio after a quick dip in a cold midnight stream, redressed in her robes. The daiyoukai lingered for a while, smiling gently and kissing her goodnight.

"I'll see you tomorrow night," he murmured. "I'll work on those sutras."

"InuTaisho," Izayoi pulled on his sleeve as he was about to leave.

"Yes, my dearest?"

"How will I recognise your son if I ever do meet him?"

The demon general considered this thoughtfully. "He has hair and eyes like mine," he said, though that wasn't very definitive – the colourings were common among inuyoukai such as he. "He has a marking on his forehead, a cresent moon – he inherited it from his mother. That's how you will be able to tell. It's a very uncommon mark, a mark of nobility."

Izyaoi nodded.

"Go to sleep now, princess," the demon lord smiled gently.

"Sleep well, InuTaisho."

InuTaisho nodded once and Izayoi slid her door closed.

Izayoi stumbled into her room, pulling off her clothes and slipping into the covers. She hoped she wouldn't bleed on the linens, which everyone would be suspicious since she'd only finished bleeding a week ago. Still, there were more pressing matters than marking the sheets – how was she supposed to tell Takemaru? How would her father react? It all seemed impossible.

She sighed and rolled over. If there was only a simple way to do this – there seemed no way, in truth. She fell asleep with her head spinning.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Ikana came to rouse her mistress from slumber. She noted the way her clothes were distrupted and unruly, and how her mistress' underrobe had grass and mud stains over it, but said nothing as she retrieved a fresh garment.<p>

"Where is Takemaru, Ikana-chan?" Izyaoi asked.

"In the tea room," Ikana said, shocked at the affectionate tone. "Is my mistress in a good mood this morning Izayoi-hime?"

Izyaoi did not reply, but allowed Ikana to fasten her _obi _and nodded once as her maid exited. The hime sighed shakily and smoothed the silk down her sides. Should she go and see Takemaru?

Gathering up her nerves, Izayoi walked to the tearoom. She saw the figure of Takemaru and one of the younger ladies serving him tea. Still unacknowledged behind the shoji, she listened to Takemaru's small-talk. He was speaking meaningless banter with the woman, and then asked for another serving of tea. Gingerly, Izayoi slid the door open and stepped into the room, folding her legs under her rear and smiled gently to the young lord.

"Why, Izayoi, you look positively radiant this morning," he smiled. "Azuma, pour your mistress a cup of tea.

Izyaoi nodded as Azuma set up another set of china. "Thank you my lord, I did sleep well."

"At least you were the only one. I had this horrible feeling all night. So did your handmaiden, Ikana. She says she feels this weight on her shoulders when demons are around the lands."

"I think we should have nothing to fear with the ofudas in place, my lord," Izyaoi replied.

"Hmm, probably." He smiled and took a sip of his tea. "And will you be doing today, my flower?"

Izayoi smiled. "I was going to make my way into the village. Perhaps visit the children."

Takemaru nodded. "Do you wish someone to accompany you? I would be happy to join."

"Oh no, my lord," Izyaoi shook her head. "I do not want to burden you. I may be quite a long time. It seems when I get talking to the ladies in the village, I just can't stop. And then there are the children."

Takemaru nodded and laughed. "At least take the horse, it's quite a long walk."

Izayoi nodded.

"I'll get someone to tend," he said, asking the tea girl to send for the stable hands.

Just before lunch, Izayoi set into the village, riding the white mare as she gentle cantered towards the village.

Izayoi ate lunch with the two mikos that inhabited the village. They talked for perhaps an hour or so, then the hime excused herself. She was found talking with the village children after lunch, sitting with the young daughters of the noble men as they learnt to weave and sew. A few of the older ladies teaching the young girls were Izayoi's age, and most had tiny babies sitting in slings, or toddlers clinging to their mother's skirts as they went around their daily work. The hime sighed gently and excused herself, leaving her horse tied up and walked to the edges of the village.

"My lady," called an old farmer. Upon his approach, Izayoi smelt sake on his breath. "My lady, what are you doing so far from the castle?"

"I've decided to visit our village today," she replied.

"My lady, what are you doing so far from the village? It gets dangerous out in these parts, especially near the forest. It's filled with all youkai, don't you know?" the farmer looked towards the forest nearby and gripped his hoe a little tighter.

The hime nodded. "I should head back then."

"Would you like me to accompany you. My lady?" offered the farmer.

"No, thank you. I'm sure I can manage on my own. Have a pleasant day."

The farmer nodded and garbled, "Yes, yes you too, my lady."

The farmer turned away, meandering back to his rice fields when he thought to look back at the departing hime, perhaps to offer the company of his eldest son back to the village, since it was quite a far way. But when he did turn his head, searching for the young woman, he was surprised to find she was gone. Shrugging he walked back to the house. Seeing yet another empty sake bottle, he had to wonder if the beautiful princess had been there or was just a figment of a drunken imagination.

Izayoi slipped into the forest as soon as the farmer turned his back. The foliage was thick and lush, so it concealed her easily. Hitching up her skirts, she began to walk through the dense forestry, towards the place she and Takemaru had taken lunch a few days ago.

She walked for a long time, careful not to get her skirts too dirty but steadily made her way up the hill. Despite how laden the forest was with youkai and oni, none had stumbled upon her and that was reassurance enough that Izayoi was going the right way. Something tingled, like a shiver down her spine, and Izayoi followed the feeling until the sensation grew stronger.

A few moments later, Izayoi stumbled into a clearing she knew too well. In the middle of the clearing was the tree with the large bayed branches, but no man lie strewn in them, bathing in the afternoon sun. Instead he was on the otherside of the clearing, emerging from the foliage wiping his mouth. He was clipping his armour back on.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, approaching Izayoi. "Is something the matter? You shouldn't seek me as you do, Izayoi. It's dangerous for you to walk in the forest alone."

He had blood on the corner of his mouth and the back of his hand. His hair was mattered with bits of leaf and twigs.

"I know," she replied. "But I knew you would be here, my lord. And I knew I would be safe."

He sat on the crook of the branch, adjusting his boots. He looked up to the princess wearily.

"For what have you come here, Izayoi? You are well?" he asked.

"Well, my lord," she looked away. "I'm finding it difficult to tell him, my lord."

"The human?"

Izayoi nodded.

"Perhaps a beheading would be more suiting then?" InuTaisho grinned.

"Please, my lord," she whimpered. "Don't."

InuTaisho smiled and approached the young woman. Her hair had been braided back from her face, and a few strands of shorter cut hair hung in front of her ears, such was human fashion. The daiyoukai cared nothing for human ways of fashion, except for the expensive silks he also adorned himself in. He adored Izayoi's long raven locks, ones that rivalled his in length let down.

He grasped her forearm gently.

"My heart is yours," she sobbed. "Please, just do not hurt him."

He ran a claw down her cheek delicately. "I will not," he murmured. "If it will make you upset."

"Please," she shook her head. "Do not think of him as threat. I am yours." She stepped forward and pressed her hand to his breastplate. "As long as you'll have me, my Lord, I am yours."

"You are truly a treasure," he murmured. Her eyes asked him to know why he thought such a way, a stunning mixture of hazel and forest green, and then his mind wavered back to the evening before – of her sweet skin pressed against his, of her colours flushed against the grass and how her eyes looked under the moonlight, and he knew, just as he drew the woman into a kiss, she would be his undoing.

* * *

><p>This took me ages to write! Argh! It's finally done, well this chapter at least. I'm half tempted to leave it there, but then I realise that would be lazy of me, as I'd planned to write a whole lot more for this story.<p>

Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter:

**aria Robotnik, Havoc's-Tears, X-Chick303, Bloodylilcorpse, molly347, Koharu Mitsuki, SapphireEyesInTheSky, DreamOrNightmare, BLISStheROGUE, Onyx Maxwell, LittleMissyMurderess, ProlongedDemoness, Valefor-chan, Darksknight, SweetestChick, Wolflover235, Lightning Streak, The-Aquamarine-Amulet,** and **Konoha's Hanyou Kunoichi.**

When can you expect another update? Maybe in a week, maybe in a few months. (I'm terrible!) I will finish all the stories I start, even if it's not exactly the way I plan them to end – they **will** be finished. Please check out my progress updated regularly on my author's profile, and while you're waiting – why not check out some of my other fics (shameless plug. ;D)?

Please remember to leave a review before you go! Much love.

~ Arlia'Devi


	13. Part 13: Of Astronomic Proportions

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, all rights go to Rumiko Takahashi and associates. I make no money from this.

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

**Part XIII: Of Astronomic Proportions**

In the two months that had passed, Takemaru grew distant to Izayoi, though they were still engaged to be wed. This was not surprising to many of the nurses and women that worked in the manor, since it was not uncommon for the husband not to love his wife, especially in political marriages such as this – but that was wrong. Takemaru did like Izayoi, quite considerably in fact. It was Izayoi who was being aloof, and that fact confused him so.

Whenever he tried to propose they do something together, she would decline. She felt sick quite a lot, and would often retire to her room for hours of the day and night. When she did appear for dinner or a cup of tea, she would say very little and Takemaru was resorted to speaking to her elderly father.

There still was not a date for the wedding.

"Izayoi," he caught the sleeve of her robe as she exited one afternoon from the tea room. She spun quickly.

"My Lord?" she said, her eyes darting around like she was looking for a quick exit.

"Izayoi – you've not been well these past weeks, I've been worried," he murmured.

His grasp dropped her sleeve and Izayoi stole back her hands. "Do not worry, my lord," she said. "I'm sorry I have been denying your offers, they are gracious of you but I have not felt up to it lately."

He wanted to say something but bit his lip, looking to the floorboards. He was frustrated – Izayoi had not wanted his company in quite some time.

"Please," Izayoi pleaded. "Let me go."

Takemaru looked at the woman. "Let you go?" he repeated, frowning.

She stuttered for a moment, "I-I need to go," before fleeing the scene. Takemaru stood in the hallway watching the skirts flow as she exited hastily. Had he done something wrong?

In the tea room was Izayoi's old father. Takemaru sought the old man out, ushering away a young woman he was talking cheekily to. Izayoi's father chuckled and finished his tea as the young samurai sat down cross legged opposite him.

"What troubles you, my boy?"

"Your daughter," said Takemaru flatly. "She has become increasingly distant. I worry."

"As do I," nodded the old man sagely. "But do not fear, Takemaru – Izayoi has never felt the desire of another man for her. Perhaps it's all too overwhelming for her at this moment. If such is the case, then you're in for a wonderful marriage, my son."

"That's it," pressed Takemaru. "The marriage. When will it be? I've been at this manor for many moons on end." He shook his head and grunted. "My men have gone back to their homes in the East. If we don't get married soon, I'll consider going back from which I came – great kami know there are many suitable young maidens in the east, just as beautiful as your daughter, old man."

The old man laughed. "I thought you may have the patience to-,"

"I have patience!" Takemaru seethed back, his eyes flashing hotly. "I have had patience for five moons now. You are her father – she is a woman, tell her what to do. You give her too much freedom in these parts."

The old Lord shook her head. "Her mother was the same, and any daughters she have will be exactly like her – wild spirits."

Takemaru huffed and looked at his knees. His anger was boiling and he needed to get control. It wasn't his fault. When he'd made the voyage, he was promised to wed a beautiful young maiden and inherit the property from an aging father. In many ways, it would have been a win-win situation – land and power was easily acquired, he had only hoped the rumours about the princess being beautiful had been true, and that the rumours about her being rather outspoken had been false.

Unfortunately for Takemaru they'd both been true.

He sighed and looked at the old man. He wondered how much time he had left before he passed on. The old man was small and frail, had very few teeth left and orange liver spots dotted his face. Takemaru could wake up tomorrow and there would be no heir for the lands of Setsuna.

"You have to reconsider the wedding," insisted Takemaru.

"You know yourself my daughter is unwell."

"Has she akways been sickly like this?"

"Not really – she was always a healthy girl. She may have come down with something," the old man sighed. "There was a young girl in the village – daughter of a farmer. She was as strong as an oak tree, had the endurance of an ox, and then one morning I heard she had died. She had a fever, and died that night."

Takemaru frowned. "I don't see how that relates… Anyway, my Lord, I want to marry your daughter and I want to do it by the weeks out."

The old man sighed and looked at the dregs in his tea.

"I'll make the arrangements," he murmured gently. "Before the week's end." He agreed,

Takemaru huffed a short breath. "Good," he said finally, rising to his feet and leaving the small tea room.

Izayoi sat in her quarters. It was dark. Her kimonos were hanging up on the shoji doors, hiding the sunlight as she lie on the futon. Ikana had tried to usher her out of it early in the afternoon to air it out but she'd refused. Later, Ikana had returned telling Izayoi that Takemaru wished to see her, but then again, she had refused his company. She had told Ikana she was not feeling well and that she wished to rest in the darkness for a while – the light hurt her eyes, and her stomach felt queasy.

Izayoi followed the patterns on one of her kimonos, the curves and colours of the swirls, and then the birds in flight that adorned the shoulders and breast panels. She remembered receiving it off her father two or so years ago, when she was much younger – two years after her _mogi._ She remembered not long after that, many of the men in the village had begun to approach her. Her mother had encouraged a courtship of a particular young man, but they all had ended the same – becoming frustrated with her ways and leaving. Except for Takemaru.

She could have loved the man; she held affections for him, but only in the way she may have held affections for an elder brother. He was a kind man, but had a temper – like any samurai. True, he would have been a good husband to a good wife, and yet she could never be a good wife to him. As soon as she saw the demon general, she knew she could never be a good wife to any respectable man.

InuTaisho was a god walking among them, of this she knew and he'd proved it to her countless times. His hair was the colour of the moonlight streaming through the clouds, and his face was angelic. Had he announced he was a kami visiting her, she would not have been surprised and she would not have resisted his advances. She had tried once, and it had failed.

Izayoi peeled herself up from the futon. It was dark outside and her robes hung limply from the shoji. She sighed and washed her face in a small basin before lighting a candle. In the low light she pulled back her hair and fastened it with an ornamental comb before applying a small amount of makeup. She had small lip gloss in a shell clasp, and white foundation, though she hardly used the latter.

Izayoi emerged from her room just after sunset and set down for dinner. Her father was opposite her, and informed her that Takemaru had gone into the village late this morning and had not yet returned.

"He wishes to marry you by the week's end, daughter," her father told Izyaoi.

"He does?" Izayoi sighed.

"And I'm going to let him."

"Father!"

Izayoi's father raised a hand to silence his outspoken daughter. "I will not be on this earth for much longer, Izayoi – I just wish to know you are taken care of. I know General Takemaru can take care of you."

Izayoi found interest in her rice suddenly, eating in silence.

"Izayoi…"

"It's fine, father," Izayoi replied. "I will do as you wish."

"I don't understand why you try to keep postponing the wedding – Takemaru is a man of great honour. Any maiden in all the lands, East _and_ West would be lucky to become his wife."

Izayoi nodded. "I agree, father."

Her old father gave her a tight-lipped smile. "I'm glad you finally see it my way," he said warmly, finishing his dinner. He struggled to his feet. Izayoi crawled over to help her father to stand. "I must be going now, dear; I'm very tired. Are you feeling better? Takemaru-sama was quite worried."

"I feel much better now," Izayoi replied as her father hobbled out of the room. "Goodnight, father."

Her father disappeared down the halls, aided by one of the nurses around the manor. Izayoi cleaned up the dishes and handed them to a maid, who washed them and put them away. Takemaru was still in the village, Izayoi assumed drinking at the tavern and being entertained by the village geishas. Izayoi returned to her quarters, sliding open the shoji door to her private garden.

The garden at night was peaceful and chilling at the same time. In some ways, following some of the events that had happened within the garden, the surroundings made her skin tingle in anticipation. Her stomach was fluttering when she sat on the garden seat, wondering if she'd catch a glimpse of her moonlight lord.

Izayoi did not have to wait long.

"A flower sitting among the flowers," he rumbled at her. Izayoi was pulled close and felt the coolness of his armour through her kimono, and then the warm wetness of his lips upon hers. She surrendered completely within his embrace.

There was not that much time left with her lord. She looked up into his golden eyes, eyes like the sun burned her although it was night.

"I love you more than I could love any human man," she whispered.

He moved a piece of midnight hair from her face and smiled. "I would do anything if it meant you were happy and safe, if only you would let me." She knew he was talking about Takemaru. He'd offered for months now, to allow him to meet an untimely death but Izayoi would never have it on her shoulders.

"I can't," she shook her head. "He never asked for any of this."

"He asks to be your wife."

"He knows not what he asks," she sighed and hugged him. The armour around his waist was hard and cold. She wondered if he would take it off.

Carefully she reached up on her tiptoes and kissed his mouth gently. She was never so forward, never so eager, but tonight she felt bold and daring. For the first time she felt scandalous and a part of her mind was awaiting the moment Takemaru would walk in on them together. But, at that point, she hoped, there would be considerably less clothing.

"You should step inside," she murmured against his skin. "You are tense. You should be given a massage."

She felt InuTaisho's chuckle vibrate through his breast plate. "What a bold woman."

Izayoi shrugged her little shoulders. "I am to be married – perhaps there's only a limited time we can be together like this."

"I do grow tired of sneaking around," he replied with a short growl. Suddenly they were inside and the moonlight was filtering through the rice paper on the shoji doors. Izayoi registered feeling the futon on her suddenly bare back and the feel of her Lord's skin against hers. When InuTaisho entered her, she arched her back in a welcoming pleasure and groaned lowly.

"Quiet, dearest," he kissed her mouth. "You want the entire manor to hear you?"

Izayoi whimpered and bit her lip. It felt so scandalous, they'd only ever been together out in the open before, under the moon and stars where he'd looked more like a kami than a demonic Lord. Those were the best times – the most magical times between them.

When he was finished – when they were both finished, for he was an honourable man and leaving a woman unsatisfied had never been an honourable thing to do, InuTaisho was sitting by the shoji doors, putting on his boots. Izayoi sat on the futon in the soiled sheets, clutching them to her chest for modesty. The manor was deathly quiet and Izayoi dared to cut the silence with her own voice.

"My Lord?"

"Yes, hime?"

Her hands wrung out the sheets and she looked up only to see his back.

"Will you please look at me?"

He turned to look at her, and there was a solemn look on his face.

"You know, don't you?"

He nodded gently but did not dare to say anything.

Izayoi let out a shaky breath. "What…"

"You will wait until you are bigger – then you will tell them," InuTaisho replied. "It is too early yet. Offpsring between us… often do not last."

Izayoi nodded. "Yes my lord."

"You will not allow Takemaru to touch you," InuTaisho replied, getting to his feet and walking to where his woman knelt. She rose to her feet, dropping the sheet back to the ground. There was no swell in her flat stomach yet, but that would change very soon. He ran one gloved hand over it and elicited goose-bumps over her flesh. "If he touches you even in the gentlest way, even with the whisper of one finger, I will end him."

Izayoi nodded and gently touched her abdomen. "If it does live," she whispered. "What do you think it will be?"

InuTaisho covered Izayoi's hand with his. "A son," he said confidently. "The Inu no Taisho only sires sons."

* * *

><p>Thank you for all your support with this fanfiction. I realise how long it took between updates, but I honestly don't forget about incompleted fanfiction so I thank you all for you patience.<p>

Special thanks must go out to those people who reviewed the last chapter –

**FictionMission, Moonlight, shadow-dog18, all happy endings, Darksknight, Bloodylilcorpse, Valefor-chan, SapphireEyesInTheSky, SweetestChick, Ink on a Page, DreamOrNightmare, Onyx Maxwell, Wolflover235, Miss. Victoria Lawrence, X-Chick303, kate **and** Taria Robotnik.**

I am working on finishing this fanfiction as soon as possible, which means writing a whole lot more chapters for it – I am really going to try and get my butt in gear here and finish it soon, so please keep on the lookout for more chapters/chapter updates while I'm off work and University. I thank you all again for your endless patience!

Please take the time to leave a quick **review** before you go. Happy holidays!

~ **Arlia'Devi**


	14. Part 14: Moon Cycle

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, all rights go to Rumiko Takahashi and associates. I make no money from this.

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

**Part XIV: Moon Cycle**

"_You will not allow Takemaru to touch you," InuTaisho replied, getting to his feet and walking to where his woman knelt. She rose to her feet, dropping the sheet back to the ground. There was no swell in her flat stomach yet, but that would change very soon. He ran one gloved hand over it and elicited goose-bumps over her flesh. "If he touches you even in the gentlest way, even with the whisper of one finger, I will end him."_

As a month passed, Izayoi grew bigger. The babe had not disappeared, it had not passed away inside her as InuTaisho had warned may happen. Instead, what had happened was quite the opposite. The babe flourished and grew inside her womb, expanding her stomach as the months passed and with each increasing night, Izayoi would look at her reflection with wonder and try to imagine what the baby inside her would grow to look like.

_Handsome_, she thought. _Like his father. With hair like moonlight and eyes like gold rays of the sun._

The looseness of her gowns could not hide her stomach for much longer however – it was summer and the fabrics were lighter and often more fitted than winter robes. It was growing time to tell her father and Takemaru of her situation – the day she was dreading the most.

Her dear lord had been absent for a few weeks. He'd informed her of some business he needed to do in lands far away and had left one night with a lingering kiss. He'd promised to be back before a whole moon's cycle. The moon cycle was not over yet, it still had fourteen nights.

She was worried to tell them while InuTaisho was not around. They would not be happy, Izayoi knew. She was a dignified hime of the wealthy area of Setsuna; heiress to all of her father's lands. They would crumble into nothing if she did not wed – and who would want to wed a demon-fondled bride with a hanyou bastard child? Many nights she'd thought of this, how she had ruined her own life with her very hand. What would they do? Would they cast her out – exile her and her infant to the very borders where all harlots and unwanted wandered? Would they try to attack her and kill the monstrosity she'd created?

Izayoi ran oil over her stomach in the low candlelight one evening pondering this. The skin of her stomach was taut under her hands. Her stomach was not the only thing that had grown in the last few months – her breasts, once small and petite had rounded and filled out and was often sore to the touch.

How could someone hate a baby? She wondered as she rubbed the oil around the swell. Babies were innocent. She struggled to think of anyone who would want to hurt a baby, but knew they were out there. She hoped her father or fiancée was not one.

Izayoi was getting dressed when the chamber door opened and Ikana entered, wondering if her lady would like her hair brushed before going to sleep, or for her to pull back the linens. In the single white cotton under-robe Izayoi was wearing, it was clear of her pregnant stomach and swelled breasts, despite the low-lighting of the room.

"M-my lady?" Ikana cried, backing towards the door.

"Ikana-chan!" Izayoi ran forward and caught the youth's arm, pulling a small hook on the clasp of the shoji door to lock it.

"You-You're with child!" she blubbered, stumbling into the middle of the bedroom and taking in Izayoi's figure with wide eyes. "It-It's that demon's isn't it? It couldn't be Takemaru's!"

"Promise me you won't tell anyone," Izayoi whispered. "Please, Ikana-chan."

"Promise?!" she squeaked. "How can I promise such a thing? I knew that thing was no good and now you're going to have his bastard child! Where is he now?"

"I don't know," Izayoi admitted. "But he loves me, and I love him."

"_Love_!?" Ikana cried. "Demons do not know how to love, Izayoi-hime – stupid Izayoi-hime. They only know how to hunt and kill! They are monsters. You will spawn a monster."

"You do not know my lord, Ikana-chan," Izayoi replied. "I do not love Takemaru. I will not wed him."

"You do not know him, Izayoi-hime," Ikana countered. "You do not know what demons are like – he is the first you've met. They are cunning, how do you know you are not under some kind of spell?"

"If I was, I would not want to wake up," Izayoi replied. "He is different than other demons. Why would he have spared your life that night if he was not different – if he did not love me?"

Ikana looked away bitterly and she did not say anything for a long time. Izayoi remained standing, her hand resting on the top of her swollen stomach and the other hanging limply by her side.

"What will happen when the Lord – your father, hears of this?" asked Ikana shallowly, her whispering voice cutting through the silence of the room.

"I don't know," admitted Izayoi. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen…," she shook her head. "But it has. I don't know what is going to happen, but I will do what is best for my child."

Ikana rose to her feet swiftly then and unlocked the shoji door.

"Ikana-chan, please don't tell anyone," Izayoi pleaded.

"I won't," she replied without turning to face her. Against the shoji, Ikana's face was hard and cold.

"Thank you," Izayoi sighed. "Thank you Ikana-chan. I hope one day you'll understand what I'm going through.

Ikana opened the shoji door swiftly and walked out. Her final words were, "I don't."

* * *

><p>Another three moons came and went before her midnight Lord approached her in the secret garden, pulling her into a tight embrace as he swiftly ascended the staircase. He kissed her pretty little mouth eagerly and felt a distinct space between his stomach and hers – the place where their child rested between them. Izayoi's hands against his cheeks stopped his kisses for a moment and she breathed heavily.<p>

"Tell me, my lord," she said, looking ravishing in the moonlight. "Do you love me? Tell me if it's so."

"You have doubts of my affections to you?" he replied, stepping back a little.

"No," she whispered. "I worry that you do not love me enough. I worry that it may not be enough for me – for us."

He frowned. What she was saying was confusing – had he not pledged himself to her many times? Had he not brought gifts, called her sweet things and shown her all the affection he could? Was it not enough?

"What do you want from me, Izayoi?" his voice sounded rough, even to him.

"I want you to love me," she spoke clearly. Her hand ran over her stomach. "I want you to love _us_."

The Inu no Taisho was intelligent in many things – in politics, in war and in logic, he was a genius. His eyes were made for battle and his head was made for tactics. But his brain was not made for women and relationships, and his heart was even less prepared. Even in his first marriage, he'd had trouble interpreting his wife's opinions and needs and wondered if that was why he had left her – because she was too much trouble and because he, frankly, did not love her.

He saw the fear in his beloved's eyes. He could not understand what was troubling her - only that something was troubling her and that was enough for him. Gently, he rested a large hand over the swell in her stomach and kissed the top of her head.

"You and the child mean more to me than anything on this Earth," he whispered gently. "I would allow the great kami to take me if it meant you were safe."

She smiled a little then, and though it was not great, the feeling touched her brown eyes.

"I need to tell my father," she whispered. "I need you to be around when I do."

He nodded and said nothing, though he knew what she was trying to say.

Izayoi looked away for the moment, but her head was brought back with a strong hand on her chin.

"Are you afraid?" he asked.

She did not respond. Her Lord was never afraid – why should she be?

"It is normal to feel fear," he said then, as if reading her thoughts.

"Do you feel afraid, my lord?"

"Sometimes," he admitted lowly.

"Sometimes," she replied half-heartedly.

"Sometimes," he clarified, a small grin passing over his face. He moved in closer to nuzzle her jawline. "I feel afraid when you are not safe – afraid of losing you." He kissed her neck down to the neckline of her robes. "I am afraid something may happen to you when I am not here." His hands grasped her hips and began walking her back into her quarters. InuTaisho grinned against Izayoi's mouth. "I am afraid my son is becoming too much like his mother."

Izayoi giggled at that. InuTaisho closed the shoji doors, shutting out the coolness of night as the room began to get hotter.

The following morning Izayoi awoke to Ikana entering the room and picking up the dishevelled linen. She did not say anything, but the dishevelled glance she threw to Izyaoi said it all. Ikana had noticed how the shoji door had been thrown off it's running and went over it to straighten it out again before someone else saw it. Izayoi waited until the woman left before moving to bathe and get dressed.

The morning was a little cool, but the sun was out and it would probably turn into a lovely day for reading in the garden or walking into town. Izayoi wished she could have done either of these rather than what she planned to do that day. Looking back, she wished she'd taken the walk into town and disappeared with her demon lover forever, leaving people to speculate what they would – at least that would have been easier than what was to come.

A little before noon, Izayoi found her father the old Lord and Takemaru drinking over tea as they often did. Takemaru was complaining, as he often did about how he had women lined up all over the lands to wed him. Izayoi had heard it before. She wondered why he would not leave to wed those other women if he talked about them so much.

She entered the tea room and bowed lowly – as low as it was comfortable for her stomach, which, in fact, was not very low. Then she knelt down to the tea table and reached across to grasp the handle of the tea kettle. It was empty. Takemaru watched her movements carefully over the lip of his teacup.

"My daughter," the old Lord smiled at Izayoi. "You're looking radiant this morning. Your hair is shining."

"Thank you, father," Izayoi smiled.

"I'm glad you joined us, daughter," the old lord said. "Takemaru and I were just discussing wedding plans. I think you should wed before the winter – no one wants a celebration when it's too dreadfully cold, and it would be too hard to get food in through the trade routes, not to mention the crops and -,"

"I do not wish to marry Takemaru," Izayoi said steadily. Outside, Ikana was walking down the hallway. Upon hearing the announcement, she hid behind a wooden pillar, fresh linen clutched close to her chest and listened carefully.

"Beg your pardon?" the old Lord blinked and looked to Takemaru.

"What?" Takemaru cried, throwing his teacup down to the table and smashing it into three pieces. "For five months I have stayed by your side."

"I do not love him," Izayoi said. The old Lord shook his head.

"It's not about love, my dear- I,"

"I love another," Izayoi admitted.

"Another?" the old Lord spoke up. "Well, who is it? A young lord from another village? When shall I meet him?"

"No," Izayoi shook her head. She looked to Takemaru and then couldn't bare the tortured look on his face, so she looked away again. Her hands were shaking in her lap, so she focused on them instead.

"What do you mean 'no', my dear?" the old Lord insisted.

"I mean 'no', he is not the young lord from another village. He is general of all the Western Lands, the demon general InuTaisho."

"A demon!" roared Takemaru, rising to his feet. "Do not be so foolish – you cannot be in love with a demon!"

"I am!" replied Izayoi. "And I love him!"

"You are a foolish girl – you are nothing but a spoilt brat," sneered Takemaru.

"I love him, father," Izayoi implored to her father across the table. Takemaru stood above her, seething. "I love him and we're going to have a child together – a son that will inherit all your lands. He will look after me."

Takemaru grasped Izayoi's forearm and with a yelp, she was forced to her feet. Stumbling, she caught her balance only to feel something hard hit her cheek – the slap of Takemaru's open palm against the porcelain skin of her cheek. Stunned and pained, she fell to the ground on her side before rolling over into a heap, weeping into the floorboards as Takemaru stood above her.

"Demon-whore," he spat down upon her. "You are nothing but a harlot who deserves to burn in hell for eternity. I never loved you."

The room suddenly grew silent and Izayoi realised that Takemaru and her father must have left. A gentle hand touched her back gently and Izayoi rolled onto her back to meet Ikana.

The young maid smiled gently.

"Come, hime," she wiped tears from the young hime's eyes with the pad of her thumb. "We'll get you cleaned up and then you should rest – you took quite a fall."

Izayoi nodded and peeled herself from the floorboards, and leaning on Ikana, the two made their way back to her quarters.

* * *

><p>I promised a regular update, so here's the next chapter! I hope to finish this story off soon, so thanks to all those people who reviewed the last chapter.<p>

**Havoc's-Tears**

**FictionMission**

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Thanks a bunch to everyone who reviewed and I hope you take some time to tell me your thoughts on this chapter before you leave! The best way to stay in touch with updates is to follow this story and receive an email alert for ASAP reading! :)

Thanks everyone. :)  
><strong>~ Arlia'Devi<strong>


	15. Part 15: Celestial Maiden

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, all rights go to Rumiko Takahashi and associates. I make no money from this.

**The Midnight Sun**

By Arlia'Devi

**Part XV: Celestial Maiden**

A cool cloth was being pressed against Izayoi's cheek as the woman wept softly. She was resting on her futon and the small swell was evident even through the cotton blankets. Ikana said nothing as she meticulously wiped Izayoi's face but the silence was heavy in the room and eventually Ikana cannot help but speak.

"Are you alright, hime?" she asked shallowly.

Izayoi nodded with a shaky breath. "Thank you, Ikana."

"You do not need to thank me," Ikana replied. "I am only doing my service to you." As soon as Ikana says this, they know it is a lie – her service has gone beyond the duty she holds for Izayoi's family. "Is the Inu no Taisho around?"

InuTaisho does not appear until night falls, Izayoi knows this.

"He is," she said. "But he will not come. Not until tonight."

Ikana nodded but said nothing. She took the cloth from Izayoi's head and wrung it out into the pan.

"You should rest, Izayoi-hime," she said, drawing the shoji that is opened to the garden close before throwing a sheet and fastening it to drape and filter the sunlight.

"But what about-,"

"I shall take care of it," Ikana said. "Do not worry. Just rest."

Izayoi sighed and slipped back into her blankets and Ikana exited without another word. For a long time, all Izayoi could do was stare at the beams in the ceiling. Hers was a blessed existence. She spent many of her days in leisure – not needing to toil in the rice fields like the women in the village or tend after hoards of children. She was well-read and well-reared, a good woman for any noble man to have. She had wanted that too, at some point, she realised, to be married to a good man and have a good life. Izayoi realised she still wanted that and that she more or less had it, but not in the way she was thought it would work out when she was younger. Could a demon be a good man – a good husband for her? She had never once thought it so.

But InuTaisho was not like any demon she had ever hoped to meet. Stories and folk lore told her about demons being great monsters that ate men and women and children whole and who committed heinous acts. They lived in forests and she had been told from a young age scary stories that had made her not run-off from the estate walls.

Izayoi ran her hand over her swelling stomach.

But InuTaisho wasn't like that… he couldn't be like that. He had said he would have died for her and her child. She was his and he had promised her his life. He could not be a demon, and yet he said and she knew he was. Perhaps what she had been taught about demons was wrong – perhaps everything was wrong, stemmed out of a fear of the unknown.

This child was not evil. This child was not sucking the life from her body like she'd heard of maidens who consorted with demons. She loved this child, and this child loved her. Izayoi nurtured it, fed it, house it in her womb and when she did birth it, she would hold it dear to her chest so it could hear with its great demon senses her heart beating and know the sound was only for it.

Izayoi did not know the time when she fell asleep, but she woke up sometime later with the rays of the sunset coming through her shoji screen and feeling heavy but refreshed.

Making herself presentable, she dreaded entering the formal quarters again. She did not want to face Takemaru, or her father and at that moment, truly wished InuTaisho was by her side. She could not stand another lashing though she knew that if InuTaisho was truly by her side, he would slay the man where he stood, despite her pleas against. Takemaru was a good man and she had done much ill by him. He did not deserve to die because of her choices. She would not have that guilt upon her shoulders.

Izayoi entered the common areas and was surprised to find it quieter than usual. Around sunset the rooms were bustling with household members and fragrances of the night's meal would waft through the rooms. There were small scents, of spices and burning wood, that lingered in the air but there was no one around. Not even her father was to be found resting, or drinking tea.

"Lord Takemaru has fled," said a voice from behind. Izayoi turned to find Ikana standing by the doorway. "Not long after you, hime, retired, he packed his possessions and rode back to his own lands."

Izayoi nodded once and smiled tightly. "It was for the best, then, Ikana-chan," she said softly. Her nurse stiffened slightly at the affectionate title. Never had her hime referred to her so… friendly and lovingly. Ikana smiled slightly. "It would have only caused him pain. Pain of which it was wrong of me to give him. Where is my father?"

"He has retired to his chambers. The ladies tell me he has not surfaced since lunchtime."

"Is he unwell?" Izayoi asked.

"I do not know, my lady. He was much shaken. Lord Takemaru did not acknowledge him once he left."

Izayoi nodded. As she sat down at the tea table by herself and poured a cup of hot tea, for the first time, she felt alone. Although she heard her ladies and the attendants of the manor rushing busily around the halls, they were not seeking her. For what she was, truly, was a dishonoured daughter – she had caused her family the most shame.

Izayoi ate her dinner in silence and solitude. Sunlight was depleting fast and she wondered if her general would appear to her tonight. She knew he was around the manor – he had given her word, and InuTaisho took vows very seriously. Izayoi only hoped InuTaisho had not been too close around during the day – had he intercepted Lord Takemaru on his horse, perhaps? Izayoi shuddered to think what would happen if he did. InuTaisho was a being of his word.

She wanted to seek out her father, but knew it was best not to. He was resting, frail and unwell. Although knowing she should not have asked for her father, she did, approaching the maidens that cared for him by the door.

"I'm sorry, hime," said one of the hand maidens, though her title was said with a strange sort of tone. "The Lord wishes to rest."

She nodded and went back to her room, locking the shoji door from the inside. She needed to be alone for the moment and though Ikana's intentions were often good, she did not wish to see her or any of her other ladies that helped her dress for bed.

Izayoi went to the shoji that lead out to her private patio and garden. She pulled down the sheets that were fastened to block out the sun and threw the doors open, letting the moonlight flood into the small room. Izayoi sighed into the crisp air.

Slowly, as if on its own accord, her hand travelled to the part in her robes and loosened it. Summer kimono were not as elaborately layered as winter robes and there was little resistance when she untied the _obi_ around her waist and let it fall to the ground as the kimono parted, showing a strip of pale skin from her collarbone to her swollen navel.

Izayoi breathed out heavily, shrugging the garment off her shoulders so it fluttered to the floor and she was presented naked to the moonlight. Her hair rolled down from its pinned confines, cascading down her back in soft waves – like a choppy river of with blackest water. She looked to the moon and it possessed her. It fuelled her every breath and made her skin feel like it was on fire. How she wished she was free.

"It is said the celestial maiden cannot return to her true power unless she has her robes," said a hot, rough voice from behind. Izayoi whipped around to see, but as quick as lightning he was in front of her, his clawed hand gripping her kimono. "They are in my possession, _tennyo_, you belong to me."

Izayoi smiled softly at her Lord. "I am not a _tennyo_, my lord."

He smiled briefly though his eyes were a smouldering molten gold. "No," he said roughly, leeching up the steps to meet her on the patio. He pressed her against him so she could feel the coldness of his armour on her skin, eliciting goose-bumps across her arms and chest. "You are much more beautiful."

She surrendered to his kiss with a whimper, her hands reaching up to his neck. InuTaisho growled possessively when she pressed her body against him. She wanted him against her, inside her – she wanted to be possessed entirely by this creature of the night.

"You are mine," InuTaisho growled, pushing Izayoi into the confinds of her room and beginning to work at the clasps of his armour. The moon reflected off her pale skin and her hair fanned out behind her. InuTaisho looked to the swollen womb where his second son rested – the heir to all of his lands save his first son did not have anything to do with it. A great warrior would be this child. Izayoi was panting and looking at him with much passion; he had never seen her so wanton. InuTaisho grinned and stepped into her quarters, dropping his robes.

"Darling, are you feeling especially ravenous tonight?" he asked with a devilish grin. Izayoi smiled and nodded, inching back onto the futon. "You do look ravenous." He sunk down to the futon beside her, his hand fluttering over her stomach and hip. InuTaisho gently scraped her with the tip of his claws and Izayoi shuddered. The general smirked.

"I mean to possess you."

"Then do it," she replied against his lips. "There is nothing left for me here. I want you. Take me away with you."

InuTaisho pulled Izayoi close and the moonlight lit her face just so. There was discolouration on her cheekbone, he noticed suddenly. He touched it gently to turn her face to the side and Izayoi winced.

"Who has placed a hand on you, my sweetest?" he asked gently. "Tell me."

Izayoi turned away from her lord's embrace. "It does not matter now," she whispered gently. "He has left."

InuTaisho growled in the back of his throat. "Should I find him, I will skin him alive for what he has done to you, my flower. Only the most dishonourable man lays a hand on a woman, much less when she is carrying a babe. Are you certain you are all right?"

Izayoi nodded gently. "I am now. You are here with me."

InuTaisho nodded and kissed the human gently. "I will never stray far from you."

* * *

><p>Izayoi awoke in the coolness of her room. All evidence of the general's presence, like most of the time, had disappeared. A maiden folded up her futon and blankets without a word as Izayoi brushed her hair. It was getting hard to hide the growing bump under Izayoi's clothing, but now it was not essential she did. She smoothed the light pink silk over her stomach, watching her silhouette against the floorboards take on a more womanly shape.<p>

"How is my father this morn?" Izayoi asked the handmaiden, who hesitated in replying.

"I do not know, my lady," she replied. "I believe he is well. I have not heard otherwise."

Izayoi nodded and exited the room. Now with Takemaru gone, Izayoi had a feeling she could speak to her father. She thought if she could just speak with him, uninterrupted, he would understand. She was in love with him and InuTaisho was not like other demons, or other men, she had known. He was driven, passionate, rich and loving. He possessed a vast empire and they were going to have a child together – a son that could inherit all of they had. If only she could speak with her father…

Izayoi approached her father's quarters, though he was not in there. Vexed, she went to the tea room where he often spent his time drinking tea and playing small bead games. This was not the case, either. She asked one of the ladies where her father was, though she was given disrespect and another lady beside her glared unashamed at her stomach.

Eventually, when it was all too much, Izayoi escaped to her garden. It was a beautiful day outside and she found a comfortable place under a leafy apple tree. Sitting down, she smelt a distinct fragrance of insence and Izayoi awkwardly got to her feet again and followed the wafting smoke.

She found her father praying at the family shrine, a monk form the village beside him. He said his prayers and the monk performed a short ceremony for good fortune and blessing before he left. Her father, however, prayed for a little longer to the great kami that watched over their family. Izayoi decided to make her presence known from behind the trees.

"Takemaru has truly left, father?" Izayoi asked gently, approaching her father who was startled to see her.

"Do you blame him?" he replied icily. "Do not speak to me, Izayoi, I do not wish to see you."

"Father, please," Izayoi said gently. "I did not wish to cause anyone pain."

"You dishonour me, Izayoi," said the old Lord.

"I love him," replied Izayoi. "We are going to have a son together – a son that can inherit the manor."

Her old father looked her squarely in the eye. "It will be a day our ancestors and kami desert us when a hanyou bastard inherits the great lands of Setsuna. You think this is the answer, Izayoi? The answer was Takemaru – he doted on you, Izayoi. He was a great youth with much experience in warfare. He would have given you many sons. He was an _honourable_ man, and now he has left."

"My lord is an honourable man," Izayoi pleaded.

"Your Lord is a demon," the old Lord hissed back. "And there can be nothing honourable about a demon. There is nothing honourable about you. I am ashamed. After all I have done in my life, after all I have done for my family, I shall die an ashamed man."

"Father," Izayoi whimpered. "I love you endlessly I thought-,"

"You thought this would be the answer? You are a fool Izayoi. You are fool enough to love a demon," he said. "And think that he loves you back."

"It does not matter you do not believe of our love," Izayoi replied coldly. "But believe this, father. My child will be a son, of whom I will raise with or without the aid of a husband. My son will have the right to inherit these lands, on the side of his mother and the side of his father. I am the hime of Setsuna and he is Lord of the Western Lands." Her anger was bubbling coldly in her veins. She loved her father, but his betrayal was hurting more than she was expecting. Perhaps she had been indeed foolish to think he would support her.

"You have not seen babes born between demons and harlots as I have," replied the old Lord. "Disfigured, ugly creatures, not demons and not humans – they are hunted, harmed and slaughtered, along with their mothers by demons and humans alike. You think it may make difference you being a hime, my daughter?" the old Lord shook his head sadly. "If any, it makes it worse. A demon, as silent as a passing breeze can slip into your chamber and slice the babe from your stomach, let you bleed out in your beds. When his noble people hear he has sired a child with a human, I fear for you, Izayoi – I truly do."

* * *

><p>Thank you to those people who reviewed the last chapter. They were:<p>

**Teriyaki Flavored, I love snowy owls, SweetestChick, Mookiedbz9, kay-leh, Carly, Darksknight, FictionMission, KizunaTsudoishi, Wolflover235, AquamarineAmulet, shadow-dog18, BVRG0614, silverhawk88** and **Miss Rune.**

Thank you so much for sticking with this story. I know the updates haven't been all that regular, so definitely a big THANK YOU goes out to those people who come back to read the newest chapter.

I had this chapter half-written and had no motivation to continue it until a few days ago I got a review notifying me of my nomination in the Feudal Association for "Best Romance Fiction", which is amazing! The feudal association is a great site that honours InuYasha fanfiction and I am honoured just to be nominated.I'd really love it if you would all vote for my fanfiction here:

**groups. yahoo group/ Feudal Association/.**

It's an age restriction site, so you'll have to sign in.

It would be much appreciated if you could take a moment out of your busy lives to write a quick review for this chapter then vote for my story in the Feudal Association. I hope to have another chapter written soon, so please stick around!

Thank you!

**~ Arlia'Devi.**


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